Violation of rules: Federal minister sets a new trend by chairing PAC

ISLAMABAD: A new precedent was set in the Public Accounts Committee meeting on Wednesday when the PAC's Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain, who took oath a day earlier as a federal minister, also chaired the PAC.

The issue stirred a debate as it is a violation of the Rules and Procedure of and Conduct of the Business of National Assembly 2007, for Rana Tanveer Hussain to chair the PAC after assuming the charge of the minister.

The rule 216 of the Rules and Procedure of the Business of the National Assembly 2007, clearly states that no federal minister can be elected as a Chairman of any Standing Committee and chair any committee.

A few days back, Rana Tanveer Hussain had said that he would continue as the Chairman of the PAC till the new composition of Public Accounts Committee. However, no one from the opposition members in the PAC raised the objection over the issue.

The situation converges with the fact that there is no opposition leader in the National Assembly following resignations of the members of the PTI, as the matter of acceptance of their resignations still hangs in the balance despite the Speaker de-sealing their resignations.

When contacted former Secretary Public Accounts Committee Tahir Hanfi said there is no Leader of the Opposition as yet and that is why he (Rana Tanveer) presided over the meeting.

“In the interim, he has temporarily presided,” he said. However, he cannot examine the audit paras related to ministry headed by him. But ideally, he should have resigned from the PAC and informed the speaker about it, the former PAC official said.