ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain removed Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana from the office of auditor general on Saturday, according to an announcement by the finance ministry.

A notification issued by the ministry said that in accordance with the Supreme Judicial Council’s report that Mr Rana had committed misconduct on several occasions, he had been removed from the office of auditor general.

He was appointed auditor general in Aug 2011 under the orders of then president Asif Ali Zardari.

Mr Rana, who hails from Multan, is believed to be a friend of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Previously he had worked as acting secretary of the human rights division and as deputy auditor general.

His appointment was seen as controversial since it came at a time when the Public Accounts Committee was set to take up the government’s audit reports involving alleged financial irregularities and embezzlement of billions of rupees.

According to APP, the notification issued by the Finance Division said the Supreme Judicial Council’s report has held that Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana committed misconduct on numerous occasions, making him liable to be removed from office.

“The President, in pursuance of Article 168(5), read with Article 209(6) of the Constitution, has removed Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana from the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan with immediate effect,” the notification said.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2015

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