PAC rebukes UK, US lawmakers for interference

ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of the statements of some US Congressmen and UK MPs over the prevailing political situation, the PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan rebuked them for ‘interfering in the internal affairs of Pakistan’ and asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take appropriate action.

On Thursday the Public Accounts Committee also expressed its displeasure over incomplete details of the perks and privileges of the top office holders including Chief Justice Pakistan and other judges of the apex court placed before it by the Auditor General of Pakistan and directed to re-submit complete details.

According to the details, the salary of the Chief Justice is over Rs 1.5 million (Rs 15, 27,399), and he is provided with an official residence and a bulletproof vehicle, and an additional official vehicle of 1800 cc. He is given 600 litres of petrol, unlimited utility bills, Rs 98,000 as house rent and TA/DA of Rs 8,000 rupees per month.

The monthly salary of the president is Rs 896,550 and he also gets an official accommodation, bomb-proof vehicles, and unlimited utility bills for petrol, electricity, and gas. Similarly, the monthly salary of the prime minister is Rs 201,574 and is also provided with an official accommodation, bomb-proof vehicles, and free facilities for all utility bills. Noor Alam Khan remarked that being the Chairman of PAC he gets only Rs 187,000 monthly. Chairman PAC rejected incomplete details and directed the AGP to furnish details of the bullet-proof vehicles for the president, prime minister and other senior officials.

The PAC chairman also took note of the statements of some US Congressmen and UK MPs over the prevailing political situation and termed it “interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan”. Noor Alam Khan said the members of the US Congress, and UK MPs are trying to interfere in our internal affairs and asked who has given them the right to do so. The PAC also asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details of action taken in this regard and summoned the DGs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an explanation in the next meeting. He directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to write to the respective UK and US governments.

Earlier, the Public Accounts Committee took up the audit paras related to the Foreign Ministry for the financial year 2020-21. It sought details of the buildings acquired on rent for embassies. Taking notice of the lavish residence taken on rent in New York, Chairman PAC Noor Alam Khan observed that a palatial apartment has been taken for one person. “We are a poor country but our officials at the US mission have such a big house,” he said.

The PAC also took notice of the non-audit of NTL, a registered company of NADRA, and directed the Auditor General to conduct its audit along with FIA.