April 25, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 18, 1429

KARACHI, April 24: Speaker of the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, underlining the need for good governance and better financial management at the provincial and district levels, said that reforms in the accounting system were being implemented across the province very efficiently.

Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session of the “Public Accounts Conference”, recently he appreciated the AG and FD Sindh for their professional skills and efficiency, and hoped that the new accounting system would greatly help the provincial and local governments in streamlining the budget and expenditure management.

Mr Khuhro also stressed the need for activating the public accounts committees at the district level at the earliest.

Sindh Minister for Information Shazia Marri impressed upon all government functionaries to observe financial discipline strictly by adhering to the rules of business for good financial management.

Auditor General of Pakistan Tanwir Ali Agha highlighted the concept of finance management, and pointed out that the role of the PAC had drastically changed in the wake of changing international standards amid introduction of modern accounting techniques in the public sector accounting.

He said that in Pakistan and other developing countries, there were very limited financial resources available for running the government business. As such, he added, the accountants handling public sector finances bore greater responsibility in ensuring transparency and accountability.

Earlier Sindh Accountant General Zulfikar Ali Kadri, in his welcome address, spelled out the role and importance of public accountants, and said that the accounting system at PACs across the country was being computerised.

He said that the accounting system in district PACs in Sindh had already been computerised and the claims submitted by every applicant were being processed electronically.

Mr Kadri acknowledged that that computerisation had rendered public accountants bookkeepers, but asserted that they had now become a vital part of financial management because of their responsibilities in relation to transparency and accountability.

The Controller General Accounts, Mohsin Khan, also spoke at the conference.