Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Public Account Committee (PAC) Noor Alam Khan has directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to provide the names of politicians to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) who are in default of any institution of the country so that recovery could be made from them.
The PAC meeting was held here on Wednesday chaired by Noor Alam Khan, Chairman PAC. The meeting was attended by the members of the committee and the officers of the relevant government institutions.
During the meeting, Noor Alam Khan directed the NAB that the details of the names of any politicians, who are in default of any institution of the country, should be provided to the ECP for recovery. He also directed Secretary ECP that if there is anyone including me in the defaulters list, recovery should be made from him before the 2023 elections without any pressure.
Member PAC MNA Shahida Akhtar Ali said that the name of the person against whom there is a helicopter case should be mentioned. She stressed laws through Election Reforms Committee for those who are contesting elections from multiple constituencies at one time.
MNA Barjees Tahir pointed out that Imran Khan had to pay Rs. 70 million but the ECP was struggling for it. He suggested that if the election is held, the result should not be announced until the recovery of Rs. 70 million is ensured. Noor Alam said that we would not allow any discrimination against anyone and to compete in the field.
MNA Sheikh Rohail Asghar said that anyone who gathers a crowd of ten or twenty thousand people and puts pressure on the institutions is a violation of the Constitution. Chairman PAC said that no one can target the army for political purposes as this is a violation of the Constitution and judiciary should take notice of this.
Sheikh Rohail Asghar said that Parvez Rasheed was stopped from the Senate election after being declared a defaulter of a small amount.
Secretary ECP said that Returning Officer takes action against such defaulters as per law and then appellate tribunals are also established. On the inquiry of PAC, Secretary ECP said that if the helicopter case reference comes to them, they would take action according to law. He added that the matter pertains to the KP government and was not sent to them.
Noor Alam Khan said that this case had been identified by NAB and the ECP should get details from them.
The Secretary ECP assured that there would be no discrimination against anyone. The PAC also examined the audit objections of the Privatization Commission and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
