 | Govt ‘delaying’ appointing PAC chief to avoid audit
22 February 2012
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ISLAMABAD - In an ostensibly deliberate move, the government is not paying much heed to appoint new chief of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after the resignation of Ch Nisar Ali Khan, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, even after passing a couple of months, as audit paras relating to the incumbent government are first in queue to be discussed by the meeting.
The parliamentary committee (PAC) after becoming dysfunctional smoothly disposed of the audit objections till 2007 besides approving reports for the years 1990-91, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1997-98, 2002-02, 2008-09, which had been laid in the National Assembly.
Now when the audit objections relating to the present government starting from its first year, 2008, in office, the government is indifferent to appoint new chief of PAC apparently to avoid discussion on its government related functionaries, a senior PAC member from PML-N shared this with TheNation.
It was also learnt that the government soon after the resignation of the Nisar also considered to appoint some senior legislator from PPP including Qamar Zaman Kaira but later the idea was dropped keeping in the violation of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) signed by Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto five years back. The relevant CoD clause says the chairmen of Public Accounts Committees in the national and provincial assemblies will be appointed by the leaders of opposition in these houses, as Nisar got this position courtesy of the CoD.
PPP sources said that the government was also facing a troublesome situation to appoint successor of the previous chairman, as Nisar had also made it clear before his resignation that PML-N members would not be among the contenders. On the other hand, while remaining within the ambit of the CoD seems to be difficult to reach consensus over the issue.
It would not be out of place to mention here that under article 54(3) of the Constitution 25 per cent of the total strength of parliamentary committee can call the PAC session by submitting requisition, as PAC chairman would be bound to convene meeting in 14 days. Parliamentary sources said that after the resignation Nisar no requisition was submitted in the National Assembly secretariat to call the session. Legal experts opine that the requisition is submitted with the consent of the PAC chairman but in this case the committee is headless for the last couple of months.
Before rendering the PAC dysfunctional, Nisar had dissolved all the PAC’s special committees and sub-committees, saying that no special or sub committees of the PAC could hold any meetings before a proper meeting of the PAC itself.
Nisar had reportedly given two reasons for dissolution of the PAC sub-committee including appointment of Akhtar Buland Rana as Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) and non-compliance of PAC’s directives by the government.
He had further reportedly commented that the government has given the position of AGP to a controversial figure, which laid bare the government’s intentions.
Political pundits assume that another reason for his possible resignation might be the non-submission of a report about the alleged involvement of three former army generals - in the multi-billion rupees National Logistic Cell (NLC) scam, the sources said. | | See Also in Political News
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