PAC to approach COAS against Rangers DG, FC IG for not attending meeting

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday decided to lodge a complaint with Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir against DG Rangers, IG FC (North) for not attending the meeting of the committee.

PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan informed the meeting that a 22-year-old son of a DG of a department tasked with the accountability is the owner of a firm and a contractor of the PWD. “I am giving the officer a chance to resign,” he added.

The PAC meeting was presided over by its Chairman Noor Alam Khan, in which the audit para of the Ministry of Interior for the financial year 2019-20 was to be examined but the chairman refused to examine the audit objection related to the Rangers and FC due to the absence of their DGs from the meeting.

The PAC also decided to write a letter to the army chief to register its complaint against the DG Rangers and IG FC (North) for not attending the committee’s meeting. The PAC chairman also directed to send a letter to the secretary Ministry of Interior over the attitude of officials of the law enforcement agencies for not attending the meeting.

He said the audit objections were of serious nature and sensitive but the DG Rangers and IG FC (North) did not come to attend the meeting and in their absence the audit pars relating to them could not be taken.

Meanwhile, the issues related to tension on the Pak-Afghan border, firing and martyrdom of Pakistanis by Afghan forces were also discussed. PAC member Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that America left 95,000 latest and modern guns in Afghanistan, asking how these guns reached the TTP. Another member Sheikh Rohail Asghar said these modern guns have stained our uniforms with blood. “Why don’t we have a policy,” he asked. He said a former officer went to Afghanistan and had a tea with the Taliban and took pictures.

The PAC chairman revealed that a 22-year old son of a person holding an important position in the organisation dealing with the accountability is a contractor of the PWD. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed inquired as to who is the father of the young man. To which, Noor Alam Khan said that he is the son of the Director General who was dealing with the accountability. “I have proof and also the PWD documents,” he added. The chairman said that he also sent a copy to the head of this institution who informed that the relevant official had been transferred.

Noor Alam Khan said that this person should have been sacked, adding that he was giving the officer a chance to apologise and resign. Meanwhile, the issue of receiving excessive domicile fee from the citizens of Islamabad was also raised. The audit officials said that instead of Rs200, Rs500 were charged from the citizens. To which, the PAC chairman said why the illegal action could not be determined.

Islamabad chief commissioner said that although this was a wrong decision, but the money was received to run the facility centres and inquiry officer has recommended to regularise this amount. “We have to look at the law and why the wrong thing happened,” the PAC chairman said. Later, he issued directives to identify those doing illegal work and take action against them.