The special committee of Public Account Committee (PAC) has observed that if the cases relating to financial crimes were resolved quickly, Pakistan would be in a position to get rid of foreign loans. The Special Committee III of PAC, which met here on Monday with Riaz Hussain Pirzada in the chair, directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to ensure quick and early disposal of the financial cases by the courts.
The committee examined the audit paras of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Water and Power, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Kashmir Affairs. The committee also examined the audit report Vol-1 on the accounts of federal government for the year 1997-98 of Foreign Ministry, audit report Vol-1 on the account of federal government for the years 1998-98, audit report vol-1 the accounts of federal government 1997-98, audit report Vol-I on the account of federal government for the year 1997-98 and audit report Vol-I on the account of federal government for the year 1997-98.
It directed the Law Ministry to evolve a comprehensive strategy along with Attorney General of Pakistan to dispose of financial cases at the earliest. The special committee examined the pending audit paras of Ministry of Water and Power, during which Managing Director of Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) informed the committee that a comprehensive plan was devised to curb the power theft. The plan would be implemented all over the country that would curb power stealing and save energy, he said.
The committee expressed dismay over visits of ministers, parliamentarians and government officers to foreign missions and said that all high government functionaries should respect the law and should not visit embassies on direct invitations. It asked Ministry of Foreign Affairs to write letters to all the foreign embassies in Pakistan, asking them not to invite any minister, MNA, MPA or any other government officer in their functions directly.
All the invitations should be routed through Foreign Office and after proper permission from the Ministry government functionaries can visit the foreign embassies, Riaz Pirzada observed. The chairman of the special committee also directed the secretary Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir to ensure that notices should be served on all the ministers, MNAs, MPAs and government officers, who visit foreign embassies without prior permission of the ministry, violating the law of the land.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also asked to issue instructions by using media briefings, Radio and television channels. The Special Committee of the PAC during the examination of different audit paras of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directed the ministry to make sure the recovery of the amount pending with different sectors and report to the committee within a month.
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