PAC body examines FO paras

ISLAMABAD: The Subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday was informed that the officials of the Foreign Office who were sent abroad on scholarship filed double claim of their airfares that caused a loss to the national exchequer. The subcommittee referred back the matter to the departmental Accounts Committee for further inquiry.

The PAC subcommittee was informed that 14 officials of the Foreign Office had gone on Chevening and Australian scholarship, and they claimed double amount of airfare for which, they were not authorised.

Chairperson of the PAC subcommittee referred back the matter to the departmental Accounting Committee of the Foreign Office for further consideration.

The audit officials told the subcommittee that the payments were made to six missions in abroad in the head of the mobile allowances.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Tehmina Janjua told the committee that the recovery from two officers was made, and the matter has been sent to the Cabinet Division.