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PAC investigates parliamentarians' tax disclosures to media(Frontier Star (Pakistan) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) PAC (Public Accounts Committee) has summoned secretary finance, chairman FBR (Federal Bureau of Revenue) over parliamentarians’ tax disclosures to media sources, and creating further ambiguity about the matter. During the Tuesday PAC meeting presided by the Chairman committee Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, the committee members said that they paid their taxes, according to NTN (National Tax Numbers) , yet they were `still `victimized by media’. They stressed that the issue be probed and those behind the discrimination be exposed, while media should provide details in order to verify its disclosures. Assuring the members that exemplary accountability `like never before’ would be re-assured, Khurshid Shah also asked media to act responsibly in its reporting procedures. Reacting to accountant general’s directives that all departments would have to account for their over-budgeting, secretary Election Commission (ECP) Ishtiaq Ahmad requested that ECP had a single line budget, and auditor general should avoid tampering it, since it would create problems for ECP; as ECP did not surrender budget if elections fall in the month of June. The committee also summoned details about authority of federal secretaries to waive off loans amounting to Rs 5 million, while also digging into the issue of EOBI’s (Employees Old Age benefits Institution) deposits of Rs 200, 000,000. The issue of Radio Pakistan avoiding direct purchase of rights for Cricket World Club 1999 , and rather obliging MS Sports (International) , forcing PCB to pay $ 30,000 , additionally, was also deliberated; whence members stressed criminal procedures against those responsible for this. Radio officials briefed the committee that after due enquiries the contract of Hassan Jalil was terminated, while officer Rashid Ali had been charge sheeted, over what was a type of hidden corruption aimed at anticipation of due share in $30,000. Audit authorities informed the committee that APP used Rs6 million worth of workers’ funds on administrative basis , which was denied by MD APP, Khalid Sarwar , who also said that the said amount had been repaid. |