ISLAMABAD: The office of Auditor General of Pakistan on Monday revealed to the sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that rent of millions of rupees stood outstanding against the employees of the federal government for the last 15 years and most of the government houses and quarters were illegally occupied.
It was also revealed in the meeting that outstanding rent against the federal government employees stood at Rs 120 million for the year 2015-16 alone. The sub-committee of the PAC held its meeting on Monday with the convener Raja Javed Ikhlas presiding over. In the meeting audit paras relating to Ministry of Housing and Works, PWD and Estate Office for the financial year 2010-11 were examined.
The sub-committee of the PAC has sought the report from the Ministry of Housing and Works of the outstanding rent against the employees of the federal government for the last five years of year 2010 to year 2016.
The DG Audit told the sub-committee that the Estate office was supposed to give complete report of allotment of government accommodations, how much rent was being paid, the figures of outstanding rent against them and how many government flats, houses and quarters were illegally occupied by the non-entitled officials but even the report that was submitted by the Estate Office was incomplete.
However, the officials of the Estate office did not agree with the objection of the Audit saying that the detailed report was submitted and they even contacted the office of AGPR regarding those employees who were retired and the AGPR informed that as per verdict of the Supreme Court no deduction can be made from the pension after retirement.
The DG Audit told the Committee that though they had received the report yet it did not have complete details of the outstanding amount. “Can the Estate office tell the committee about the still outstanding rent for the last three years?” the DG audit questioned from the Estate office.
The officials of the Estate Office replied that an amount of Rs120 million was outstanding for the year 2015-16. The Audit department said that this figure of Rs120 million is just for one year and the outstanding rent still payable for last 15 years and it would be appropriate to seek the update record of outstanding rent for last 15 years. The sub-committee of the PAC sought the update recovery report of outstanding rent against the employees of the federal government from the year 2011 to year 2016 in two months.
