PAC expresses displeasure over PPRA briefing, directs official to come with preparation

ISLAMABAD: Public Account Committee (PAC) on Friday expressed displeasure on the briefing of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) regarding rules of the body.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting was held at Parliament House with Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, Chairman of the committee, in the chair.

The committee discussed the agenda of examination of appropriation accounts for the years 2011-12 and audit reports/special audit reports for the years 2012-13 of Aviation Division and Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

Parliamentarians including Leader of the House in the Senate Senator Shibli Faraz, Senator Sherry Rehman, MNAs Fakhar Imam, Munaza Hassan, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Sheikh Rohale Asghar, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Hina Rabbani Khar, Senator Talha Mehmood, Senator Seemi Ezdi, MNAs Noor Alam Khan, Shahida Akhtar Ali, Senators Mushahid Hussain and Syed Tariq Hussain attended the meeting as Memeber of the Committee.

Senior officials of Aviation Division and Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) also attended the meeting.

The PAC Chairman said that PPRA officials were ill-prepared for today’s meeting, adding that PPRA rules should be on the finger-tips of department officials.

He said all the departments should come with clarity on the agenda of the meeting. He said that it was unacceptable and pathetic performance by the officials as they had failed to respond to simple questions of the members.

The committee directed PPRA to submit relevant report to the committee regarding irregular payment of due to unauthorized change of joint venture Rs. 7,811.23 million.

The PAC also examined the loss of millions of rupees due to cracks in concrete slabs of runway at Allama Iqbal International Airport since 2005. The committee issued directives to the concerned department to submit a detail report within four weeks.

Senator Shibli Faraz said that it was unfortunate that the officials declared loss of millions as meager amount while "when we construct our own houses, each penny is saved” adding it was incompetence.

MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Sialkot Airport was being operated by private sector successfully.

The committee also took up the case of irregular appointment of State Life Insurance Corporation without open bidding at Rs. 2,747.256 million.

Chairman of the committee said that this was a criminal act and recommended the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The committee also recommended that responsibility should be fixed for awarding of contracts without open bidding to a company which did not even participate in the invitation for proposals.

The PAC also examined the case of selection of advertising firms without due evaluation  for Rs.1,647,486 million of audit report 2012-13.