‘Financial difficulties’: AGPR told to stop bills’ clearance

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of lingering economic and financial difficulties, the finance ministry has directed the AGPR to stop clearing all the bills of the federal ministries/divisions and attached departments till further orders, it is learnt. Even the clearance of salary bills has also been stopped.

Top official sources confirmed to The News Friday night that the operational cost related releases faced difficulties mainly because of lingering financial difficulties being faced by the country.

This reporter contacted the Finance Division top guns for comments but got no response. When Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar was contacted, he said it might be untrue but promised to get back after confirming it. However this correspondent did not get any reply till the filing of this report by 1am on Saturday.

The sources said they went to the AGPR for clearance of their outstanding bills but were informed that the Ministry of Finance had directed them to stop clearing all the bills, including the salaries, because of the prevailing difficult financial positions. The exact reasons could not be ascertained why the clearance of bills was stopped on immediate basis.

The lingering financial difficulties could be cited as major reason behind this move. The sources said the salaries and pensions of defence related institutions had already been cleared for next month.