LAHORE - The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on monitoring and implementation was told Thursday how the corrupt mafia of the Pakistan State Oil managed to get relief from the courts despite spending of a hefty amount by PSO on hiring the legal team to plead its cases.
Convener of the committee Mian Abdul Manan asked the PSO management to sack the legal team that failed to prove the allegations of massive corruption in the company. The sub-committee’s meeting chaired by Mian Abdul Manan discussed implementation of audit paras of ministry of petroleum and natural resources for the financial years 1996-97, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001.
Mian Manan, rejecting the explanation given by managing director PSO, summoned the legal team and other officials of the PSO at its next meeting.
The committee also took up an interesting case in which a man, Ghulam Mustafa, took Rs2.4 million from PSO in 1989 to set up a petrol pump but till 2009 no petrol pump could be constructed and after 2009, when the petrol pump was set up, he refused to return the money instead he got court verdict in his favour. The sub-committee expressed strong displeasure over the fact that the PSO not only failed to get their dues back in 25 years but also lost the case in the court of law. The convener summoned the PSO’s legal team and Ghulam Mustafa in the next meeting and vowed to recover the amount with interest. He also sought a detailed report on it by July 24.
In another case of corruption pertaining to PSO which had given loan of Rs 583.7 mainly to Raji Aviation and Hajvairy Airlines, the officials of the ministry of petroleum and natural resources told the committee that the case in question had already been under investigation in NAB.
The audit officials told the sub-committee about spending of Rs 4.475 million on hiring of office space for establishing the corporate office though the PSO possessed the office. The committee was told that after taking possession of the office, the management spent another Rs 2.453 million on construction work and furniture & fixtures.
NAB officials told the committee that the issue was now in the courts of law and NAB was not pleading it.  Mian Abdul Manan said, “It is strange that whenever NAB wants to nab someone it brings him back even from New York but does not arrest him, then it offers legal justifications for not taking any action”.
THEFT MAFIA DEPOSITS RS34M IN NATIONAL EXCHEQUER: The Mafia involved in oil theft in Sahiwal has deposited more than Rs.34 million in national exchequer after FIA started inquiry into the issue a few days back, said spokesman of FIA.
It merits mentioning here that last month Asif Ali Mian, Assistant Director FIA, Anti Corruption Circle had taken into custody nine empty oil tankers. These oil tankers were moving from one destination to another without oil. A case was registered against owners of transport company. On Wednesday transport company owners deposited Rs 34 million in the account of Pakistan State Oil.
PEN DOWN STRIKE AGAINST TRANSFER: Clerical staff of Anti-Corruption Establishment on Wednesday observed strike against Director General ACE Abid Javed.
It was a pen down strike on 6th consecutive day in ACE Punjab, said an office-bearer of All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) ACE Unit.
He said that DG Anti-Corruption had transferred their one of colleague office superintendent Ghulam Mustafa from Lahore to DG Khan. He said transfer was made only to teach him a lesson. “We will be on strike till the withdrawal of orders by DG,” said the office-bearer.