LAHORE: A petition was filed with the Lahore High Court on Tuesday questioning legal status of 56 public sector companies established in Punjab and alleging mega corruption by them

A citizen, Munir Ahmad, has filed the petition through Advocate Azhar Siddique pleading that Rs150 billion have been spent by the provincial government on these companies established on the pretext of ‘good governance.’

He alleges that the government’s move faced a huge setback as all public sector companies failed to deliver. He claims that the audit of accounts of these companies except one was not carried out by Auditor General of Pakistan. He says the companies have not shared their expense details with the Punjab finance department and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

The petitioner further states that these companies never published any annual audit report while their heads have been drawing huge salaries besides other perks and privileges.

He says there is no record of waste management companies in Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. Moreover, Al-Bayraq and Azbak (Turkish companies) have been awarded contracts by the provincial government in violation of merit and rules. He pleads that public money is being wasted on these companies. He asks the court to declare the establishment of the companies illegal and order an inquiry into the alleged corruption committed by their heads.

The companies challenged by the petitioner include Punjab Saaf Pani Company, Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company, Lahore Transport Company, Lahore Waste Management Company, Lahore Parking Company, Multan Cattle Market Management Company and Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Board.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2017