ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed its reservations about transparency in awarding the contract of 'awakening campaign for women through mass media', causing financial losses to the government.

According to a press release, the PAC meeting was presided over by MNA Malik Allahyar Khan on Wednesday.

The meeting took up appropriation accounts and audit paras of the Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education for the financial year 2000-01.

According to the audit department, women development ministry entered into contract with two puppetry companies and Habib Films for arranging countrywide puppetry shows and screening of black and white film 'Baaghi' in connection with 'awakening campaign for women through mass media' without fulfilling codal formalities. This caused a loss of Rs5.9 million to the national exchequer.

Moreover, the companies were given 50 per cent of the fee as mobilization advance and later the remaining amount was also released without obtaining any proof substantiating whether the shows were actually held or not.

The PAC was of the view that the said decision miserably failed to achieve the desired objectives and ordered for institution of a departmental inquiry, the findings of which should be submitted to the committee within one month.

The committee also ordered inquiry against the DDO of the ministry for unjustly withdrawing Rs7.02 million from the campaign's account.

While discussing another audit para regarding construction of Khidmat Maternity and Child Health Centre at Mianwali, the PAC directed the ministry to extend financial assistance only to NGOs of national level and good repute.

According to details, a Mianwali-based NGO 'Khidmat' submitted PC-1 for construction of Maternity Home with a total outlay of Rs19.68 million.

Despite clear-cut instructions of Ecnec, the Departmental Working Party could only approve projects up to Rs0.7 million.

In contravention of the instructions, the ministry approved Rs2.88 million for the said project and the funds were released. However, the NGO failed to complete the construction work till date.

The PAC directed the secretary to immediately pursue the matter and get the mortgage of the land in the name of the government. It also directed the women development secretary to pursue the recovery of long outstanding amounts of Rs2.434 million and Rs8.02 million against the governments of Balochistan and Punjab, respectively.

The ministry was asked to strengthen and surrender unspent amounts within the stipulated period.

The committee regularized various audit observations subject to confirmation by the audit department and as recommended by the Departmental Accounts Committees (DAC).

The meeting was attended by MNAs Lt-Col (retired) Ghulam Rasool Sahi, Syed Qurban Ali Shah, Dr Abdul Ghaffar Khan Jatoi, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Riaz Fatyana, Mohammad Safdar Shakir apart from the auditor general of Pakistan, women development secretary and other officials of the departments concerned.