ISLAMABAD: The auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) seems missing the deadline to submit a report on the tobacco industry to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which will provide an opportunity to the industry to escape action.

Expressing concerns that the government had retained the third slab of federal excise duty on cigarettes in the budget 2018-19, PAC Chairman Syed Khursheed Shah had directed the AGP to conduct a special audit of cigarette producers and submit a report by May 23.

The third slab has not only resulted in decreasing the revenue but also led to an increase in smoking among the youth.

When contacted, AGP’s spokesperson Adeel Javed said the audit was still in process and would be completed as per directions of the PAC. However, he said there was no specific update on the timeline of the audit.

When informed about reports that the tobacco industry was influencing the auditors to delay it further and were also reluctant to provide record to auditors, he said once a PAC direction is issued it is complied and the report is submitted to the PAC secretariat.

The tobacco industry expected that the PAC would hold its last meeting on May 23.

The spokesperson said: “If this PAC goes, pending reports will be discussed by the new PAC. There is no way to escape from it.”

He denied the allegation that cigarette companies were not providing record to the auditors.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2018