ISLAMABAD - The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday ordered one-year performance audit of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC). The performance audit would be carried out by the Auditor General Office within next thirty days.   

A PAC meeting was held at Parliament House under the chair of Rana Tanveer Hussain to discuss the audit paras of the Ministry of Industries and Production. 

The AG Office informed the committee that USC was directed by the PAC to stop selling all sub-standard commodities immediately and products not having certification of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control (PSQCA) should be confiscated. 

The PAC also directed the Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production to hold inquiry into the selling of sub-standard ghee and oil on the network of utility stores. 

The audit officials explained that the USC was bound to take the reports of quality tests of each consignment from the supplier, however these sub-standard products were still being supplied and sold on stores without taking quality assurance certificates. 

Chairman PAC Rana Tanveer Hussain expressed his displeasure over the situation and asked the Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production to explain the position. The Secretary Afzal Latif said that all products shelved in stores were certified and no sub-standard commodities were being supplied. 

The Managing Director USC also explained that the audit officials were misinterpreting the law and there was no illegality in the whole matter. 

However, the parliamentarians criticised the ongoing situation of USC. MNA Riaz Fatyana said that the Utility Stores Corporation was a white elephant and the government was pumping billions of rupees every year to run it. He said the corporation should be shut down as it had failed to serve its purpose. 

MNA Noor Alam Khan was of the view that the matter should be sent to the National Accountability Bureau for thorough investigations. 

Chairman PAC Rana Tanveer also took the matter seriously and questioned the Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production and MD USC that why they did not come to the committee if there was a misunderstanding in the directions of PAC. 

The parliamentarians also highlighted poor performance of the USC and demanded a special audit of the corporation. 

The Chairman PAC directed the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit of USC for the last one year and submit its report within the next thirty days.