PAC seeks report on steps for safe motorways journey

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sought a report from the Ministry of Communication over the steps taken to make the journey safer on Motorways which are in a state of disrepair.

The meeting of the PAC was held with the chair of its Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain to examine the audit paras related to Ministry of Communication for the year 2018-19 and report of Auditor General (AG) on access of the computerised record of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the purpose of audit as well as report of the FBR on tax exemptions in the name of Fata/Pata but the Eid holidays atmosphere prevailed in the meeting.

The FBR chairman did not come to the meeting due to ill health and PAC chairman asked that the FBR chairman should be called. FBR chairman came to the meeting to summon the PAC chairman.

PAC member Noor Alam Khan questioned the officials of the Communication Ministry about accidents on the Peshawar-Lahore Motorway due to ditches there.

PAC chairman said the issue be taken up in the next meeting as today's holiday atmosphere is prevailing and even members also did not come to attend the meeting. But Noor Alam Khan did not agree and said his question should not be bulldozed.

Member PAC Syed Naveed Qamar praised Noor Alam Khan and remarked that despite being a member of treasury benches, he asked pinching and hard questions. He said the condition of Sukkur to Hyderabad Motorway is also not good as this part of the motorway is also in disrepair.

PAC chairman directed the Communication Ministry to give a briefing on conditions of the Motorway in the next meeting and should tell what steps were being taken to make the journey safe.

In the meanwhile, FBR chairman told the committee that the clearance of the industrial goods produced in Pata will be given at Azakhel instead of Karachi. He told the committee that the industrial goods produce in Pata if sold outside the Pata then tax with the ratio of 16 percent will be imposed.

He further told the committee that the FBR did not have the capability regarding industries so asked to form the committee composed of the experts from the Ministry of Industries and provincial Ministry of Industries.