A parliamentary panel has directed the government to appoint permanent heads in various federal departments including the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other departments, which have been functioning without regular chiefs.
These directives were passed by a subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament in a meeting held here with Syed Naveed Qamar in the chair to discuss and review audit paras of Aviation Division for the year 2016-17.
Briefing the panel, acting chairman PIA Arshid Malik said he was not appointed as a regular chief of the national flag carrier but given charge as acting head. The officials of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) informed the panel that national airline incurred financial losses of Rs 4.36 billion due to a faulty agreement between the PIA management and air travel agents of United Kingdom in 2005, as the PIA first signed the agreement with the travel agents and then backed off without giving three months notice to the agents. The travel agents took the matter to a British Court which ruled against the PIA and directed to pay Rs 4.36 billion to travel agents on violating the agreement and moreover penalty of Rs 13.1 million was also imposed on the PIA.
In another subcommittee meeting of the PAC, Federal Secretary Trade and Commerce Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera informed the panel that Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved to allocate 20 percent quota for overseas Pakistanis to be appointed as trade commissioners in Pakistan missions abroad.
The subcommittee of Public Accounts Committee under the convenership of MNA Fakhar Imam was reviewing the audit paras of the Ministry of Trade & Commerce.
Responding to a query, Sukhera informed the committee that there are 42 out of 52 trade commissioners in Pakistani missions abroad. Following the PM's approval, the posts for trade commissioners in missions abroad will be advertised in the national newspapers, the secretary informed the committee.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, the member of committee remarked that successful Pakistani businessmen of different countries will be suitable candidates for these posts since they are familiar with the local language and culture and have good relations and contacts.
This is an extremely good idea, the secretary responded, adding that the problem is that they are not willing to work on salary which Pakistani government offers against these posts.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, however, said, "I know many patriotic Pakistanis abroad who want to serve the country without any benefit. You should find such patriotic Pakistanis."
The audit officials told the committee that rules and regulations for Intellectual Property Rights were made in 2007; however, those rules abolished through an ordinance on the commitment of making fresh rules.
The committee directed secretary trade & commerce to make fresh rules of intellectual property rights by second week of July.
The audit officials raising another objection on Lahore Expo Centre said that the centre has been functioning in loss since its inception and the total loss of the centre by June 2018 has reached up to one billion rupees so far.
The secretary responding to the objection briefed the committee that at the moment expo centre has three main halls and forth one is at finishing stage of construction. He said the expo centre is making handsome profit through the exhibitions; however, after the completion of the fourth hall the income of the hall will be doubled.
He said there is no loss in the income; however, there has been some loss due to depreciation of Pak rupee on account of infrastructure development.
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