ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has refused to get its accounts audited, says a report of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) on accounts of federal government departments for 2017-18.

Access to PEC audits was declined despite that a 2013 Supreme Court judgement directed that the auditor general, in order to carry out duties under articles 169 and 170 of the Constitution, is not only authorised but obliged to seek access to any and all records maintained by federal and provincial governments.

The auditor general is also empowered to access all entities established by or under the control of federal and provincial governments, regardless of the designation of such records as secret or otherwise.

Similarly, the auditor general’s Functions, Powers and Terms and Conditions of Service Ordinance 2001 also state that the officer in charge of any office or department shall afford all facilities and provide records of audit inspection and comply with requests for information in complete form.

According to an official in the AGP’s office, the same law states that any person or authority creating hindrances in the duties and functions of the auditor general’s office concerning the access and inspection of accounts would be subject to disciplinary action.

However, the PEC, a statutory body, did not oblige to the AGP’s request to access its accounts, and instead stated that the matter will be presented before its governing body for its legal opinion, and the decision will be communicated.

The PEC was set up to regulate the engineering profession. Its mandate was to function as a key driving force for achieving rapid and sustainable growth in all national, economic and social fields.

In the 2017-18 report, the AGP said the matter was taken to the science and technology secretary, who was asked to direct the PEC to facilitate the audit team and provide all auditable records that the management did not provide earlier.

The report elaborated on SC directions, reminding the Ministry of Science and Technology of the mandate to audit accounts of any authority or body established by or under the control of federal and provincial governments.

“Audit is of the view that the stance taken by the management of PEC particularly is in violation of the orders of the Supreme Court and attracted a section in the ordinance 2001, of the AGP to recommend disciplinary action for hindering in its duties,” the report stated.

It said the PEC, established and controlled by the federal government, falls under the audit jurisdiction of the AGP.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2019