PAC summons CM's inspection team

KARACHI - The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Sindh Assembly have expressed anger over non-cooperation of Chief Ministers Inspection Team (CMIT) which has not informed the PAC about the results of matter sent to them for inquiries. The PAC has also summoned the officials concerned of CMIT on Wednesday (today) with reports of inquiries. After chairing meeting of PAC, Chairman PAC of Sindh Assembly, Jam Tamachi, briefing the media said that PAC had sent over dozens of matters to CMIT for inquiry but it had not informed the results of their investigation proceedings. The PAC took up the financial matters of Home, Works and Services, and Planning and Development Departments for considerations of year 2004-05 and 2005-06. Besides PAC members Shama Arif Mathiani, Dr Rafiq Bhanbhan, the minister for law department, Muhammad Ayaz Soomro also participated in meeting. Tamachi said that PAC had complaints against CMIT about their behaviour, as they did not inform the conclusion of their inquiries sent them by PAC. He said that if CMIT cooperates with the PAC for sending inquiry reports timely, the cases of the financial audit would be disposed of soon. He said that with the consultation of law minister of Sindh, the PAC instructing the CMIT officials in writing and summoned them on Wednesday (today). Earlier matters of irregular payment of compensation of Rs1.60 million paid by Sindh Home Department to the legal heirs of deceased who lost their lives in the accidents on railway lines. According to documents presented before PAC, it was noticed that compensation amount of Rs1.60 million was paid to the legal heirs dated September 26, 2003 and March 6, 2004, without proper confirmation of right full claimants. Similarly, two minor girls, Hajra and Sassi, were killed in Gadap Town by the unknown persons. The then CM Sindh announced compensation of Rs0.2 million for each girl. The Home Department issued two cross cheques for disbursement, but there was not record of the compensation given to the legal heirs of the girls in 2004. Provincial Secretary of Home Department and other officers concerned were present to answer the members of the PAC. Chairman PAC told the media that committee has cleared that matter attaching the conditions for ordering the Home Department to write a letter to the Minister for Railway and IG railway police for inquiry into the matters of accidents. Tamachi further said that PAC had also attached condition of clarification from CM House to investigate the matter that whether compensation was given to the legal heirs of girls or not. Meanwhile, PAC also took the matter of irregular expenditure without inviting the open tender of Rs5.139 million for repair and renovation of barracks number 91 and 92 in respect of Provincial Building Division-2 Karachi for the year 2005-06. Secretary Works and Services Department Mukhtar Soomro presented the copies of newspapers in which tenders was invited for project. Chairman and other members of PAC during proceedings in their observations said that it had been noticed that Works and Services Department released finances to the contractors prior to the completion of the schemes. There are lot of schemes in Sindh which are incomplete because the contractors are not interested in finishing them after getting full payments from the government. The PAC gave example of deteriorating condition of the roads of Sindh, where quality of the material used in projects is substandard. However, PAC will take up the matter of Lives Stock, Fisheries and matters of other department on Wednesday.

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