RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Tuesday reviewed audit objections of Rs239.675 million regarding Irrigation Department in the Audit Report 2013-14 and discussed in detail the documents and record presented by in this regard.

The meeting of PAC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa held here in KP House, Abbottabad with MPA Qurban Ali Khan in the chair. Besides, MPAs Mahmood Jan Khan, Mohammad Idrees Khattak, Arbab Wasim Hayat, Syed Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, the Secretary Assembly, Amanullah Khan, Secretary Irrigation, Tariqullah, Additional Secretary Assembly, Amjad Ali Khan, Chief Engineer (South) Zahid Abbas and Chief Engineer (North) Syed Mujahid Saeed the concerned Superintendent Engineers, Executive Engineers (EXNs), the higher authorities of law, audit and finance departments also attended the meeting.

The PAC KP Assembly discussed in detail the audit objections including overpayments in Baizai Project Mardan, not recovery of penalties from different contractors for not timely completing projects work, unlawful expenditure and keeping funds in account and unfeasible projects.

The committee called for submission the details from the department and discussed the documents and rules & regulations in light of audit objections.

During the meeting the authorities of the department explained that due to some reasons the record of mostly schemes were not presented at the time of audit, which resulted in the registration of audit objections, but now all report is presented before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which could be reviewed.

The PAC expressed satisfaction over the presentation of record about several audit objections while for further and transparent investigation the matters of expenditure on the unfeasible Project Trichan to Attahk of Tehsil Malkao, district Chitral, not operationalizing of tube-well by Irrigation Division Peshawar, overpayment of Rs.154.511 million by Irrigation Division D.I. Khan on additional rates were referred to sub-committee.

The meeting also took notice of the remarks of Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) regarding recoveries in these audit objections and due to the seriousness of the matter all these audit objections along with complete record was referred to sub-committee while the matter of the overpayment of Rs3.032 million in Baizai Project Mardan was referred to the verification committee for the assembly to bring complete documentary facts into the forefront.