Embezzlement in PTDC: PAC tells ministry to initiate legal action

Special Committee of Public Account Committee (PAC) on Wednesday taking strong exception to the embezzlement in Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) directed the Ministry of Tourism to initiate legal action including registration of FIR to recover the plundered amount.
The special committee that met with Riaz Hussain Pirzada in the chair took up the audit paras of various ministries, National Assembly, Senate and Pakistan Atomic Energy Council and Narcotics Control Division from 1994-1995 to 1997-1998. The committee meeting was informed that PTDC suffered a loss of Rs 2.294 million on account of non-recovery of advance from a firm as well as huge losses on various other accounts during the period under review.
The management of PTDC had singed an agreement for purchase of two 26-seat coasters and three Hilux double cabin with a firm in1993 and gave Rs 2.494 million as 65% advance. The firm has neither supplied vehicles nor refunded the amount and the matter was referred to the FIA and NAB. The chairman of the committee Riaz Pirzada expressed total dissatisfaction on the performance of FIA and NAB and directed the official of Ministry of Tourism and PTDC to get registered the FIR against the owner the firm to recover the money. He also directed the officials of tourism ministry to check whether the Board of Directors had the power to write off Rs 29.729 million subsidiaries and Rs 2.648 million in case of Flashman deal and if it was done illegally, take legal action to recover the amount from those concerned.
On knowing that Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat was entitled only one vehicle, but it had 9 vehicles with their maintenance expenses, the committee said that no one is above the law and directed the Wafaqi Mohatisb to regularise the expenditure from the Finance Division. Hearing the audit paras of Ministry of Science and Technology, the committee directed the high ups the Ministry to put the name of an official of Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) who had been involved in embezzlement of Rs 751,630 on ECL. The special committee of the PAC was informed that an admin. Officer of the PCSIR's Chairman Secretariat at Islamabad up till 1988,due to lack of proper internal checks and control, has embezzled a total Rs 751,630 drawn or collected by him on different occasions from different accounts.
The matter was also referred to the FIA and according to the record of investigation agency, the culprit was declared proclaimed offender by the learnt trial court. The audit paras of National Assembly Secretariat, Senate, Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Narcotics were settled subject to the verification and satisfaction to the audit department.