PAC body told K-Electric owes Rs96b to SSGC

ISLAMABAD: The Subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was informed on Wednesday that the Karachi Electric is a defaulter of Rs96 billion of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and the matter was not possible to be resolved till the privatisation of the K-Electric.

The PAC Subcommittee meeting was held with the chair of its convener Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to examine the audit of the different ministries for the financial year 2011-12.

The Subcommittee was informed that the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the privatisation of the K-Electric has not been issued yet, and all the issues of its privatisation with the Privatisation Division and there was no timeframe for its privatisation.

The PAC Subcommittee Convener, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, remarked that K-Electric blackmail to pay the liabilities of the SSGC, and if the federal government takes any action then they switch off the electricity of Karachi. “The privatisation of the K-Electric did not seem possible in our life,” he remarked and deferred the para.

While examining another Audit Para, the PAC Subcommittee directed the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to give a month time for the submission of record of funds provided by the federal government and collection through Hero Cards for the SAF Games 2005 from--ex-Chairman Pakistan Sports Trust and President Pakistan Olympic Committee, and if he fails to provide it then refer the matter to the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) for further action.

Convener of the committee Sardar Ayaz Sadiq remarked that if PAC suggests the action against the President, Pakistan Olympic Committee Lt General (R) Syed Arif Hassan, then it will only bring defame for the country.

He directed the secretary, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to summon the secretary of Trust and examine the record of the funds given by the federal government and funds generated through Hero Cards and if record was not available then refer this matter to the FIA.

Secretary, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, Akbar Durrani, told the committee that Pakistan Sports Trust was attached with Pakistan Sports Board after 18th Amendment, but, earlier, it was working independently.

During the meeting, the PAC Subcommittee also examined the irregularities in the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination during the tenure of the PPP was also examined and audit officials revealed that After the SAF Games an institution of Pakistan sports trust was created which failed to achieve its objectives and caused a loss of Rs3.8 billion to national exchequer.

Secretary, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, Akbar Durrani, told the Subcommittee that Pakistan Sports Trust has nothing to do with the Pakistan Sports Board and even did not have its record and its employee will to the court of law.

He told the committee that this trust even did not have an office and all the funds of the SAF Games were transferred to the accounts of the Paksitan Sports Trust.

He said the Lt General (R) Arif Hassan was looking after the Pakistan Sports Trust and after the 18th Amendment, it was supposed to be transferred it to the Pakistan Sports Complex, but it was not done.

He said the Trust received Rs43.2 million from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and Rs388 million collected from Hero Cards.

Convener of the committee Sardar Ayaz Sadiq questioned that why the Ministry of IPC gave funds to it and what was the legal ground of giving the funds to it.

IPC secretary told the PAC Subcommittee that now this Trust did not exist but the funds were given to it. The audit officials told the committee that besides this audit para, there were four other audit paras of the Pakistan Sports Trust.

The Subcommittee directed that if the Trust provided the record and financial audit report to the Ministry of IPC then settle the audit paras, and if fails to do then take an action against them.