The monitoring and implementation committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has asked governemnt to close Ministry of Science and Technology, terming it as useless.
Committee went of the view that Ministry of Science and Technology and its subsidiaries especially Pakistan Agriculture and Research Council (PARC) have shown utter disappointment in their performance and they should either be closed or it is time to bring some reforms in these departments.
The committee also called former federal food and agriculture secretary Zafar Altaf for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities worth millions of rupees.
Yasmeen Rehman is in the chair to review audit objections pertaining to the accounts of the Ministry of Science and Technology, PARC and the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).
It is said that PCSIR used to spend budget of Rs 900 million for the wages and pension of employees. Meanwhile it had no funds or research. The committee directed the inspection authorities to clear audit reservations against the ministry within one month.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) informed the committee that former PARC chairman CM Anwar was facing corruption charges but he had died therefore the NAB had closed his case. The committee directed NAB not to discharge the case against the deceased chairman and to take action against those who were involved with him in 30 days.