PAC concerned over Islamabad Club financial issues

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Tuesday expressed concern over the financial affairs of the Islamabad Club and sought an audit report in the next meeting.

The committee directed the club management to review its dress code for the members and present a report after PML-N MNA and member PAC Sheikh Rohail Asghar was denied service for wearing Dhoti, the traditional Punjabi dress. The committee met here with Noor Alam Khan in the chair. The committee got a briefing from the Islamabad Club management on their financial affairs.

Rohail Asghar expressed his anger at the dress code and said the Britishers left the country but their remnants still followed them. “Shalwar Kameez is our national dress and Dhoti a cultural dress. If I don’t wear a suit, then no one serves the food in the club,” he said.

Secretary Islamabad Club said formal dress code was applicable in the formal dining hall and dress code was part of the club tradition. The management took the stance that Sheikh Rohail Asghar was denied service as the club was not a cultural club. Sheikh Rohail Asghar said wearing a Dhoti was not a culture but a proof of civility.

The committee directed the Islamabad club management to call a board meeting to resolve the issue and to review the dress code.

Taking up the financial management of the Islamabad Club, the committee expressed concern and asked for an audit report in the next meeting. The PAC was told that the club faced a deficit of Rs500 million annually.

The committee was told that in the last financial year, the loss was Rs1.32 billion, while the total expenditure was Rs1.37 billion.

Chairman Noor Alam Khan asked how could a club, which charged lakhs of rupees from its members, sold a dish of fish for Rs1,200 and two gulab jamun smaller than a bottle cap for Rs340, was in loss.

The committee was informed that the assets of the club were worth Rs2.74 billion while the club had liabilities of Rs969 million.