Rs2.35 bn fund for provision of gas lapsed, PAC told

ISLAMABAD: The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee informed on Wednesday that funds of over Rs2.35 billion from the grants released for the provision of gas to different parts were lapsed due to delay in release.

According to record presented before the sub-committee of the PAC, the grants were approved for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources in 2016-17 and from this grant an amount of Rs2.35 billion were lapsed.

The sub-committee of the PAC was held with the chair of its convener Senator Shibli Faraz on Wednesday at the Parliament House in which the audit para related to Petroleum was examined.

On the lapse of the funds from the grant to the Petroleum Division for the gas provision to different parts of the country, Secretary Petroleum Division told the sub-committee the amount was lapsed due to delay in release of the funds.

According to details, it was told to the sub-committee of the PAC that amount of Rs319.6 million for the provision of gas supply to different parts of Mansehra, Rs 130 million for Qasur, Rs 20 million for Bahawalpur, Rs 170 million for the different parts of Okara, Rs 160 million for different localities of Hafizabad, Rs 340 million for different parts of Sialkot, Rs 230 million for different parts of Sargodha and Rs 250 million for the provision of gas to different parts of Kahuta were not utilized and lapsed due to delay in release of grants for the provision of gas.

During the meeting, member of the PAC Syed Naveed Qamar observed that those supplementary grants were yet not get approval from the Parliament should be presented before the Parliament for the approval.

Secretary PAC wing of the National Assembly told the sub-committee of the PAC that the PAC secretariat has written a letter in this regard and got a reply from the Finance Division that all the supplementary grants which were not get approval from the Parliament in the last six years would be presented before the Parliament for the approval.

In the meanwhile, the sub-committee of the PAC sought details of the appointment of 4 provisional directors and legal advisers in violation of rules in the Petroleum Division would be taken up in the next meeting.

The Audit officials told the sub-committee of the PAC that DG Petroleum concession has appointed 4 former government officials as provincial directors and legal advisers on contract basis but did not get approval of appointments from the Prime Minister, which was mandatory and the Departmental Accounting Committee has asked for the inquiry into this matter.

The sub-committee of the PAC sought details on this matter from the Petroleum Division in the next meeting.