Passco: PAC seeks wheat data

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that met here under Chairman Noor Alam Khan sought data of the Passco purchase of wheat in the last five years.

The committee examined the audit reports of the Maritime Affairs and the National Food Security and Research for the fiscal year 2020-21.

The committee chairman expressed his displeasure over the inconsistency of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in removing encroachments.

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“We issued an appreciation letter to you (the chairman CDA) over his actions against encroachments, however, now again the CDA staff allowed encroachments on sides of roads and footpaths”, he told Chairman CDA Noorul Ameen Mengal.

Rejecting the arguments of the CDA chairman that previously licenses were issued in various areas for encroachment and they were helpless, the chairman PAC said that such licenses must be cancelled.

Members of the PAC further directed not to allow keeping chairs on footpaths for serving customers. For a specific time, they should be allowed to utilise the footpaths but also be charged.

The committee further sought the record of lands transferred to the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation and hold an inquiry on faulty road material used in Margalla Road.

An audit official disclosed to the committee members that Phil Morus and Pakistan Tobacco had purchased Rs95 million worth tobacco during 2019-21 but the cess was paid on Rs63 million. The PAC sent the audit object back for discussion in the DAC.

The committee also took notice of the non-payment of Rs143 million to tobacco growers by the tobacco companies.

The secretary Food Research informed the committee that affected growers sold the tobacco without signing any contract.

The chairman Tobacco Board further apprised that small size tobacco companies purchased tobacco through middlemen.

The committee asked to take action against such companies and recovered the growers’ payment from them.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023