The Auditor General of Pakistan has informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament that the details of the Dam Fund were not being shared with the audit officials.
The PAC was met under the chairmanship of Noor Alam Khan here on Wednesday in Parliament House. On a query, the Auditor General informed the PAC on Wednesday that the details of the Dam Fund which was established during the era of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar were not being shared with the audit official.
The Chairman Committee expressed displeasure and instructed the officials of the PAC to write a letter on behalf of the Committee in this regard. This is a matter of supremacy of the Constitution, law, and accountability that the dam funds should be audited, the chairman further said.
He said that the non-production of records is a violation of the Constitution, therefore, the CJ may instruct the Principle Accounting Officer for the provision of records of the dam fund. It is important to know about the source and volume of funds.
The Chairman said that there is information that the State Bank was instructed for not providing bank account details of the Dam Fund, and the Chief Justice of Pakistan may take action against the elements who are involved in the act of non-production of records. He said this is public money and should be audited.
Noor Alam has produced a list of 114 persons before the committee and apprised that the services of these persons were unnecessarily hired by WAPDA for different dam projects.
According to the list, the services of six persons were hired in BPS-20 and they are drawing Rs. 195,000 to Rs. 324,000 per month.
Three persons were hired in BPS 19, nine persons were hired in BPS 18, twenty-nine persons were hired in BPS 17, thirty-one were hired in PBS 16, and others were hired in low grades on a contract basis. They are performing their duties as Chief Logistic Officer, DG, GM, Director, advisors, consultants, audit experts, experts, staff nurse, and clerk.
According to the list, the services of gynecologist Dr. Sumbal Khalid were hired by WAPDA and she is drawing a salary of Rs. 342,000 per month.
The WAPDA has also hired the services of Feryal Ali Gauhar as an Advisor to the Authority on the implementation of the Cultural Heritage Management Plan of the Diamir Bhasha Dam Project. She is drawing a salary and perks of Rs. 200,000 per month.
The services of Farah Khan were hired as Social Mobilizer and she was receiving Rs. 50,000 per month.
While commenting on the list, the Chairman PAC said that this is an example of nepotism and corruption. He questioned the officials of the WAPDA and Ministry of Water Resources why these retired and irrelevant persons were hired and paid hundreds of thousands per month.
The Chairman instructed the authorities to remove these people and pinpoint the real culprits of this scam.