Islamabad:
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday demanded a complete registration of Toshakhana dating from 1947, discovering irregular amendments and opaque auction processes.
The authorities revealed that Toshakhana’s rules were altered without the approval of the cabinet between 2001 and 2018, while the records before 2002 are still classified.
The legislators also raised concerns about the lack of public auctions for state gifts, and the government considered a complete prohibition of the participants of public office that retain the gifts.
During the meeting, chaired by Junaid Akbar, the Committee reviewed the Cabinet Division Audit Report by 2023-24 and ordered the presentation of Toshakhana records dating from 1947.
However, the secretary of the Cabinet said that the records prior to 2002 were classified.
The PAC also demanded details of all the gifts of Toshakhana auctioned within 15 days.
The cabinet secretary declared that Thaat Toshakhana’s records from 2002 to 2024 were available online.
However, the PAC President instructed that printed copies be provided to the members of the Committee and that all filed records will be charged on the website.
PAC members indicated that Toshakhana’s policy previously allowed public office holders to retain gifts paying 30% of their value. However, under the new act, they must pay 100%.
The committee was also informed that Toshakhana’s gifts had never been publicly auctioned.
However, the secretary of the Cabinet cited the lack of private sector appraisers such as reason, despite the multiple ads for the paper.
Subsequently, the panel postponed all audit objections related to Toshakhana.
The Committee also reviewed an audit observation on the non -distribution of almost RS2 billion for PSL 8 between PCB and franchises. Audit officials reported that the funds remained without distributing due to problems between PCBs and franchises.
When expressing his discontent for the absence of the president of PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, the president of PAC interrogated: “Shouldn’t the PCB president be present at today’s meeting?”
The secretary of the Cabinet explained that Naqvi could not attend due to security concerns in Quetta and Baluchistan.
However, another official informed PAC that the Interior Minister was, in fact, present in the country.
The members of the PAC, including Syed Naveed Qamar and Senator Fawzia Arshad, insisted that the president of PCB be summoned, with Qamar stating: “If someone refuses to appear, they can issue warnings and even arrest the arrest orders under the powers of the civil judge.”
The president replied with humor: “Do you want the rest of my life in jail to happen?”
The PAC also questioned the expenses for the Champions 2025 trophy, stating that although RS29 billion were spent, the revenues generated were only RS1 billion.
NEPRA AUDIT
The PAC was also disagree with Nepra for allegedly undermining parliamentary supervision by challenging a performance audit in the Superior Court.
