PAC discusses fiscal anomalies in AWKUM

PESHAWAR: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday asked the public sector universities to demonstrate extra care in financial matters as public funds are national trust with them.

The observations were made during the meeting of the PAC on disposal of audit paras on certain fiscal anomalies in Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM), said an official handout.

The meeting on Higher Education Department (HED) was chaired by Member Provincial Assembly Muhammad Idrees at KP Assembly Secretariat in Peshawar.

Besides MPAs Inayatullah, Babar Saleem Swati, senior officials of the Higher Education, Law, Finance, Accounts & Audit Departments and KP Assembly as well as AWKUM attended the meeting.

The committee members said the universities have to follow rules, regulations and estacode in service and management matters and ensur- ing immediate recovery o misappropriated public funds from the officials.

They observed that educational institutions are sacred centers of learning to produce future builders of the nation and hence there should be high standards of financial and management discipline to be example for all.

The university head in reply to certain audit paras told the meeting that a big chunk of losses have been recovered so far from the individuals. The committee expressed satisfaction at process of recovery.

However, it referred cases of certain fiscal irregularities to the sub-committees concerned for investigation and clarification.

A special subcommittee comprising expert officers from accountant general and advocate general offices, power & energy, planning & development, finance, law, higher education, communication & works departments was constituted to probe audit para on the recovery of losses on unauthorised and wasteful expenditure on construction of powerhouse at cost of Rs305.604 million.

However, the committee asked for expediting process of recoveries in respect of damages caused to the public funds in AWKUM, including loss due to delay from defaulter PhD scholars (Rs26.702m), non-deduction of income tax from suppliers (Rs31.277m) and allowing higher rates to the contractors (4.736m).

The chair asked for the non-inclusion of minor audit paras in the PAC agenda and ensuring its early audit in DACs to save precious time of the PAC and public institutions’ senior officials.