PAC told low-grade ghee being sold at Utility Stores

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee was told on Wednesday that sub-standard ghee was being sold at Utility Stores Corporation stores.

A meeting of the Public Accounts Committee was held with Rana Tanveer Husain in the chair that examined audit paras relating to the Utility Stores Corporation and Federal Bureau of Revenue Chairman Javed Ghani gave a briefing to the committee on the Automation of the FBR.

During the meeting, the Public Accounts Committee also sought a report on cases referred to the National Accountability Bureau by the committee. PAC Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain was of the view the the NAB chairman should brief the committee on the progress on the cases sent by the PAC.

PAC member Noor Alam Khan complained to the PAC that sub-standard ghee was also being sold at the parliament lodges. The PAC recommended canceling the licence of the companies selling sub-standard ghee and recovery of amount from them.

Briefing the PAC on the FBR automation, Chairman Javed Ghani said no agreement could be made with any other company except PRAL to avoid risk of data leak. He admitted that there were some errors in the PRAL that could be corrected.

The FBR chairman was optimistic about achieving the targets set for December with regard to automation. He told the committee that the linkage and sharing of data with the banks would be made soon while an MoU with NADRA had been signed in this regard.

He told the committee that information about Pakistani account holders in Swiss Bank was received under the Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agreement, adding details of foreigners account-holders in Pakistani banks were also being shared by the countries signatory to OECD agreement.

About refund of Rs6 billion to Multan based M/s Usman Traders Linkers, the Public Accounts Committee sought the complete investigation report from the FBR. About the issue of procurement of subsidized ghee in the Utility Stores Corporation, the audit officials informed the PAC that undue favour was given to two companies that caused a loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer. The committee directed the performance audit of the Utility Stores Corporation to take action against those responsible and report within one month time.