PAC holds in-camera session on NA speaker’s notice

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee has held an in-camera session to discuss National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser’s notice to the committee not to take up the Broadsheet issue.

The PAC held its meeting chaired by its Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain here on Thursday in which the audit paras relating to the Ministry of Communications with reference to the National Highway Authority for the year 2019-20 were examined. The first hour of the PAC meeting was in-camera in which a discussion was held on the issues of Asad Qaiser’s notice to the committee and the reports appearing in the media with regard to the cabinet meeting.

According to sources, Rana Tanveer informed the members that he received a letter from the secretary, Cabinet Division, in which he denied the remarks of the cabinet on the PAC. The sources said Rana Tanveer denied that any accusations were made on the PAC. It was decided in the in-camera meeting that Information Minister Shibli Faraz will be asked to investigate the matter how the baseless news appeared in the media. Rana Tanveer said the committee enjoys powers to take up any matter and also has the powers for issuance of production order of the committee members.

Examining the audit paras related to over-payment of Rs 413.007 million due to inadmissible payment on account of price adjustment, the audit officials said the contractor of the Surbab Nag-Basima-Punjgur-Hosab Project in Balochistan used substandard material but payment was made for original material.

The Communications secretary told the committee that the escalation of the project was approved with the approval of the Finance Ministry and the minister for Planning and Development. The committee directed submission of a report within 30 days in this regard.