ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament expressed dissatisfaction with the procurement of approximately 1,100 vehicles by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and hinted at summoning FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial to explain the decision.
The PAC, led by Chairman Junaid Akbar Khan, questioned the justification for purchasing these vehicles at a time when Pakistan's economy is struggling.
The issue arose during a meeting when PAC members discussed the slow recovery from power sector defaulters. Secretary of the Power Division, Dr. Muhammad Fakhre Alam Irfan, revealed that only Rs162 billion had been recovered from the Rs877 billion owed by defaulters. The PAC chairman expressed his frustration, saying that billions are allocated for electricity poles, but the funds are misused.
Shahida Akhter Ali, a PAC member, questioned Langrial's tenure as Power Division Secretary, where he was responsible for improving recovery from defaulters. The PAC chairman pointed out that Langrial, now FBR Chairman, had shifted focus to ordering a large procurement of vehicles for FBR employees, raising concerns over his priorities amid the country’s financial strain.
Further, the PAC discussed the ongoing efforts to combat power theft and improve recovery, including the establishment of the Disco Support Unit, a team of officials from security agencies. Dr. Irfan suggested reducing taxes on electricity bills to ease the burden on consumers and improve recovery.
The PAC directed the Power Division to submit a monthly report on recoveries and required a list of top 300 defaulters. PAC members also raised concerns over overbilling and questioned why meter reading staff had not been penalized for their negligence.
The meeting also discussed audit objections related to the Board of Investment (BOI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor-Industrial Cooperation Development Project (CPEC-ICDP), with PAC Chairman Khan expressing his anger over the lack of action by the Finance Ministry. He gave officials 15 days to resolve these issues or face strict action.
