ISLAMABAD: During the meeting of sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday, officials of audit and military officials exchanged hot words on the issue of not consuming of fusing buckram used in the uniform.
An audit official of the Department of Auditor General of Pakistan remarked that if the fusing buckram was not consumed for six years, then it may get defective in the stores. Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) Chairman Lt General Umar Farooq got annoyed on the remarks and said to audit official “Mind your language, what do you mean by saying this? Do you assume us thief?”
On it, PAC member Sheikh Rohail Asghar remarked that it’s better to talk to the point on the audit para. Rasheed Godail came to the rescue of audit official and said actually audit official spoke wrongly in English as he did not mean what he wanted to say. “We all have been taught in government school that was the reason that our English is weak,” he said.
Meanwhile, the sub-committee of the PAC rejected the Ministry of Defence Production plea for holding an in-camera session of the committee. The ministry, in a meeting of the PAC sub-Committee for holding the in-camera session of the committee as the sensitive audit paras relates to the national security were to be examined, but the committee rejected the request saying that if they desired in-camera meeting than they should have to inform the committee in advance, but it was not possible. “However, now we only defer those paras that were of sensitive nature and relates to the national security,” Convener of the sub-Committee, Sardar Ashiq Gopang, observed. The meeting was held with the chair of its convener in which the audit paras related to the Ministry of Defense Production for the year 2008-09 were examined.
Defence Production Secretary Lt General (r) Ijaz Chaudhry at the start of the meeting of the committee requested it for in-camera meeting, saying that some audit paras are of sensitive nature relates to national security as these also relates to interest of some friendly countries which should not been made public.
Member of the PAC sub-Committee Sheikh Rohail Asghar remarked that all the friendly countries have their own national interest, and we have to look on our national interest. Committee member Rasheed Godel remarked that the national interest should be on priority, but, at the same time, we needed to redefine the definition of the national interest.
POF Chairman Lt General Umer Farooq Durrani said that national interest and national security come first and the countries which protect our national interest are our friends. The audit officials told the committee that annual audit reports submitted to President of Pakistan, who send these reports to the National Assembly, and once the reports were presented to the National Assembly these become public.
After the debate on this issue, the convener of the PAC sub-Committee directed to take up the audit paras of sensitive nature into Departmental Accounting Committee and the committee should be informed in advance if needed for in-camera sessions.
While examining the audit paras, the audit officials told the sub-Committee that the POF has made procurement of Rs347.473 million in violation of PPRA rules in which 15 ambulances, two swimming pools and polythene bags were also included in the procurements.
The audit officials were of the opinion that the polythene bags, ambulances and swimming pools were not included in sensitive procurement as the sensitive procurements were already exempted from PPRA rules.
The officials of the POF told the committee that the procurement of ambulances, polythene bags and swimming pools were made on May 2008 and no violations of the PPRA rules were made.
The committee directed to settle the issue at the level of the Departmental Accounting meeting. Another audit relating to procurement of Rs 130 million was also come under discussion in the committee meeting and the audit officials told the committee that the procurement were not used.
The Chairman POF replied that 78 percent of the procurement have been utilized while remaining will alod be utilized. The Sub-committee directed to take up it at the level of Departmental Accounting Committee for the settlement of the audit para.
Examining another audit para, the audit officials told the sub-committee of the PAC that due to delay in agreement for purchase of 1300 M.Ton Sulphuric acid, the national exchequer sustained a loss of Rs 34.593 million.
The POF officials told the committee that inquiry was conducted on it and disciplinary actions were taken against and even the contract were revoked of those who were found guilty in the inquiry.
