Home »Business and Economy » Pakistan » Absence of PAC in Balochistan creating transparency issue: Senate body told

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  • Dec 7th, 2012
  • Comments Off on Absence of PAC in Balochistan creating transparency issue: Senate body told
Deputy Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Nagmana Ishfaq has said absence of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Balochistan was creating serious issue of transparency in expenditure of development funds. She said that the AGP had pointed out in its audit paras over Rs 4 billion serious irregularities in Quetta Water Supply and other development projects implemented in the province, which were not being addressed due to absence of PAC.

The Deputy AGP also revealed that audit has not been conducted of provincial and district departments for the last fifteen years. Naghman Ishfaq also informed the committee that the AGP also approached Provincial Governor, Chief Minister and Chief Secretary on the issue but no to avail.

While briefing the Senate Sub-Committee on Finance here on Thursday, she said that huge amount of Rs 2.5 billion in Quetta Water Supply Project is under serious observation which has not been attended. The committee sought a detailed report of all the audit paras for erstwhile and current projects to take up the matter in the Parliament.

Planning Commission official also informed the committee that work on Gawdar Development Authority (GDA) has not been abandoned and management was suggested to make some amendments to the original master plan and submit the revised PC for approval. The committee was informed that Rs 10 billion had been spent through GDA for linking Gawadar with rest of the country. Secretary Planning Commission said that delay in completion of development project had serious repercussion on the budget whereas representative of Economic Affairs Division (EAD) said their impact on the foreign loan was also very serious.

He said that its impact was two dimensional; (i) donors were not ready to lend money for future; (ii) and the country has to pay commitment charges as long as completion report of the projects is not submitted. Secretary Planning said that the Planning and Development Division has requested the provincial government of Balochistan to submit details of all the federal-funded projects/schemes. The meeting was also informed about the projects which were implemented or being implementation under the President Grant Scheme etc.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012


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