ISLAMABAD: The Public Accou­nts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday direc­ted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to recover Rs2.2 million from a former minister and employees of the commerce ministry over unauthorised use of 22 telephone connections.

The office of the auditor general dur­ing the scrutiny of the accounts of the commerce ministry traced 22 un­­authorised telephone connections during fiscal years 2015-16 and 2017-18.

The commerce secretary claimed that the minister and other officials of the ministry had been using the telephone lines within their prescribed limits.

PAC chairman Noor Alam Khan di­­r­ected his staff to produce the “Fed­eral Ministers and Ministers of State (Salaries, Allowances and Privileges) Act, 1975”.

According to Section 10A of the Act, “a minister shall be entitled to a telephone to be installed at his residence at government expense and shall be exempted from payment of its rental and charges of calls made there from within the country.”

When the secretary failed satisfy Mr Khan with his answers, he asked him to recover Rs2.2m from the officials.

He directed the FIA to ensure the recovery of the amount and register FIRs in case of failure.

The PAC also directed the comme­r­­ce ministry to share the inquiry report regarding illegal award of work of Rs191.5m for construction of the Peshawar Expo Centre.

The audit pointed out that the ministry awarded the contracts in violation of procurement rules.

The commerce secretary told the committee that a detailed inquiry had been completed and the responsibility had also been fixed on the officials.

The PAC also scrutinised financial affairs of the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan and noted that the flagship project ‘Health Card’ introduced by the PTI government might be counterproductive for the insurance company.

Published in Dawn, january 4th, 2023