ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel, Tuesday, while rejecting the briefing of the officials of President House deferred further discussion on the audit paras of the President House for the next meeting and directed Military Secretary or Principal Accounting Officer (PAO) President House must attend the next meeting.
A subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which held its meeting here under the convenorship of Senator Sherry Rehman was informed by the audit officials that in 2015,President House spent an additional amount of Rs45 million on account of salaries for the employees of dispensary and garden.
Additional Secretary Waqar Ahmad Khan informed the participants that this case was sent to the Cabinet Division but as yet no response has been received from the Establishment Division.
PAC members expressing serious displeasure said that after the passage of six years the matter should have been resolved. The panel direct the relevant officials to resolve the matter within four weeks and present the report before the committee.
The audit officials further informed the panel that in 2012-13 additional honorariums were paid to the officers of the President House but without deducting an amount of Rs6.9 million in taxes. The panel directed the concerned quarters to take appropriate action and send the name list of the officials to the office of the Accountant General Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) for further action.
The panel further directed the officials that in case any officer has retired from service deduction must be made from his pension. While briefing the panel, audit officials said that during President of Pakistan's visits to South Africa and China an amount of Rs6.1 million was spent in violation of the set rules.
Responding to the objection the officials of the President House said that this amount was paid as reward and tips to the workers performing different duties there and on such spending no receipts are kept; therefore, the presidency has no record of the amount. The panel called off the meeting and directed the officials to ensure the attendance of President House's military secretary or PAO in the next meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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