PAC seeks Pakistan Science Foundation reply over unused funds

ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee sought an explanation from the Ministry of Science and Technology on the non-utilization of PSDP funds amounting to more than Rs340 million by the Pakistan Science Foundation.

The sub-committee also directed the Ministry of Science and Technology to provide the record to the FIA about audit objections related to the construction of the office building of the ministry.

The meeting of the sub-committee was presided over by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed in which audit objections of the Ministry of Science and Technology for the fiscal year 2017-18 and 2018-19 were examined.

On the directions of the sub-committee for providing the record of the construction of the building of the ministry, officials of the ministry the ministry had provided the FIA with record of 16,000 pages.

Mushahid Hussain directed that a grade 20 officer of the ministry should be appointed the focal person on the matter. The audit officials informed the committee about the non-utilization of PSDP funds by the Pakistan Science Foundation.

Senator Shibli Faraz called for summoning the secretary of the Establishment Division and said the Ministry of Science and Technology should be the number one ministry and tell the committee about the reasons why it had happened.

“We want to solve this problem, this ministry is the largest ministry in terms of institutions and buildings,” he said. Mushahid Hussain said asked for an explanation on the matter within 15 days.