Chairman of Punjab PAC Fulfilled His Responsibility by Referring Audit Paras Worth One Billion Rupees to NAB
Public Accounts Committees Can Put an Unchecked Bureaucracy on the Right Track, Says Noorullah Siddiqui
Noor ullah Siddiqui, Central Secretary for Information of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, stated that Public Accounts Committees (PACs), through their constitutional and legal role, can help eliminate departmental corruption and incompetence.
He said that Iftikhar Hussain Chhachhar, Chairman of Punjab Public Accounts Committee-I, demonstrated courage and responsibility by referring four audit paragraphs involving financial irregularities worth one billion rupees to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He emphasized that safeguarding the national treasury is only possible through accountability.
In his statement, Noorullah Siddiqui said that constitutional and democratic institutions can restore the credibility of elected representative bodies through the impartial exercise of their powers. He added that even in the present challenging circumstances, the institution of the Auditor General of Pakistan continues to perform its duties effectively.
He noted that the Auditor General of Pakistan ensures scrutiny and accountability of every penny of public funds. However, political considerations often interfere at the stage of punishment and prosecution, allowing those responsible for looting the national treasury to escape accountability.
He further stated that while accountability laws exist, there are significant shortcomings in their implementation, which hinder the effective enforcement of anti-corruption measures.
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