ISLAMABAD: Acting Chairman and Director General (Lahore) National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday ended the ongoing tussle between the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the NAB by appearing before the committee in Tayyaba Gull allegations against the NAB officials under protest.

The committee met under its chairman Noor Alam Khan called a meeting on assets declaration and avoiding records for audit purposes on August 11.

In another case of the Ministry of Water Resources, the committee chairman said the committee could call the former Chief Justice of Pakistan in the collection and maintaining of the dam funds accounts based on the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP)’s audit report.

Acting Chairman NAB Zahir Shah who challenged the authority of the PAC before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) said that it was inappropriate that the PAC served notices to him through the Interior Ministry.

Challenging in court the decision of the PAC was to get guidance from the court.

He further said that no parliamentary committee ever sought details of the NAB employees and their spouses’ asset details and he filed annual tax return with wealth declaration in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). In a protest, he asked the committee members to treat them equally like other government officials.

DG NAB (Lahore) Shahzad Saleem contended the allegations levelled by Tayyaba Gull said that members committee focused on harassment against woman but in particular case he was harassed by the woman. The chairman committee at one point warned him to use words carefully when DG alleged that 40 FIRs were registered against her for running “Dandha”.

The committee further sought a fact-finding report within one month on irregularities and violations in contractual obligations in Momand Dam Project.

During examination of audit paras of the Ministry of Water Resources, members of the committee raised the issue of funds collected under the Supreme Court of Pakistan Fund during the tenure of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar. Members committee demanded to hold an inquiry on the fund. Member Committee Bargees Tahir said that in fact, it was dam fool and a joke to the nation. “There is no evidence that any foreign country construct a dam through donation,” he argued.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022