PAC body objects to writing NTC on building guest house illegally

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Subcommittee Wednesday directed the Ministry of Information Technology (MIT) to write a letter to the National Telecommunication (NTC) chairman on the construction of a guest house with the cost of R4.1 million in violation of rules in the ancestral village of ex-Federal Minister Owais Khan Legahri. The PAC Subcommittee also expressed its annoyance over the NTC chairman for starting the project without approval of the PC-1 from Departmental Working Party and directed to write a letter of explanation to him. The Subcommittee meeting was held on Wednesday with the chair of its convener Rana Tanveer Hussain in which the audit paras relating to the Ministry of Information Technology were examined. The audit officials told the Subcommittee that NTC without getting approval from the NTC Board and also without approved PC-1 has constructed the guest house with a cost of Rs4.1 million in Dera Ghazi Khan. The NTC officials told the committee that construction cost has already been recovered in the head of the rent of the guest house. The PAC Subcommittee directed action as suggested in the inquiry report on this matter. The Subcommittee also directed for the completion of report with regard to financial misappropriation in the Pakistan Education Research Network, which was establish in the year 2002 with the cost of Rs290 million within two weeks. The audit officials told to the Subcommittee that the PTCL, in this project did not provide Rs150 million but also get hold of the furniture of the project and even getting all the revenues generated by this programme. Examining another audit para, the audit officials told the committee that Pakistan Software Export Board has awarded the contract of work in violation of rules and even paid $10,000 to the company in advance and later on the differences erupted between the management and company. The Secretary Information Technology told the committee that the board meeting has been convened on November 27 and will look on this matter. Examining yet another audit para, the audit officials told the committee that Pakistan Software Export Board has fixed the condition of MBA for hiring a director marketing but has appointed the person on this post in 2006, who hold the gradation degree and paid Rs1.1 million as salary with perks and privileges. The officials told the committee that a person has already resigned from the post.