PPRA honorarium issue: PM forms new panel to examine, propose action plan on inquiry report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a high-level committee under Minister for Petroleum to examine the inquiry report into the allegation against PPRA employees for payment of honorarium out of the World Bank project loan and propose an action plan in the light of the findings and recommendations of the report. Headed by Musadik Malik, the committee included Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Chairman Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission Brig (R) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha, secretaries of the Cabinet Division, Establishment Division and Economic Affairs Division (EAD).

According to a source, the inquiry report recently submitted by the inquiry committee, headed by Chairman PMIC Brig (R) Muzaffar, also includes a separate note written by a probe committee member who recommended that the matter of honorarium may be placed before the competent forum (PPRA Board) to evaluate its admissibility and propriety. According to the inquiry report, an amount of Rs103 million was paid on account of honoraria out of the World Bank loan. The committee recommended that all incumbent and ex-employees of PPRA who have received honoraria from the World Bank project loan be directed to deposit the amount in the government treasury.

The inquiry report, signed by PMIC chairman, also proposed disciplinary proceedings against several PPRA officials who had processed or sanctioned the payment of honorarium. It is said by the inquiry report that the PPRA Board was kept in the dark on the matter.

In his separate note, Shakeel Ahmed Mangenjo, Special Secretary Commerce Division, wrote that on the matter of honorarium, it is not clear if the Finance Division instructions are applicable to statutory organisations, which operate as per their statutory provisions. “I have also not been shared the practices followed by other regulatory bodies attached to Cabinet Division. There is also a lack of clarity on the revenue stream of the authority.”

The special secretary commerce, while referring to the minutes of the PPRA Board meeting of Dec 2020, said that the then MD of the Authority had told the inquiry committee that annual honorarium is paid to all employees and on the same analogy to the Managing Director should be approved by the higher authority and not by himself as per the previous practice.

The Board had observed that the instant agenda item does not require approval of the Board as MD PPRA is competent to use all powers of the principal accounting officer as decided earlier. After through deliberations, the Board decided as under: “The PPRA may continue in accordance with the existing arrangement.” The special secretary commerce concluded, “In view of the above, the matter of honorarium may please be placed before the competent forum to evaluate its admissibility and propriety.”