WASIM IQBAL
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday showed serious concern over utilisation of government grants by loss-making public sector entities such as Pakistan Railways and Pakistan International Airlines and sought a detailed briefing on their performance during last five years. Syed Khursheed Shah chaired the meeting of PAC which examined the audit paras of Ministry of Railways for the year 2013-14. The committee suspended the proceedings of the committee after seeking details about government grants for Pakistan Railways.
In his ruling, the Chairman said the committee cannot discuss corruption cases in the absence of details of grants and performance of Pakistan Railways during the last five years. Earlier, an official of the Pakistan Railways told the committee that the Pakistan Railways has gradually turned into a profitable entity.
He further said the government subsidy of Rs 37 billion had been spent on pays and pensions of the employees for last three years, and operational expenses were met by the Pakistan Railways through its own generated revenue. "Since 2011, the Pakistan Railways has been getting a Rs 40 billion overdraft from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) which was Rs 300 million in 1984," he added.
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