LAHORE, Feb 5: The Punjab Bar Council executive committee chairman has declared financial emergency in view of the monetary crisis.

According to a press release issued here on Thursday, PBC executive council chairman Pervaiz Inayat Malik directed that no transport allowance bill would be paid to any member till further orders.

Mr Malik was briefed on the financial health of the PBC and pendency of cases and functioning of various sections by the senior staff members of the council.

The PBC accounts officer informed the chairman that apart from the amounts deposited in various schemes, the council was on the verge of collapse. At present, the council had only Rs600,000 in its accounts to meet the daily expenditure, including TA bills, for the remaining financial year.

The accounts officer said the council had already spent over and above the annual budget allocations for TA bills till Jan 31.

Following the briefing, Mr Malik directed that prior permission would be necessary for all expenditure. He said that all previous instructions issued from time to time in this regard would remain suspended.

The PBC executive council chairman also directed the accounts officer to furnish the details of amounts paid to all PBC members during the last four years as TA bills.

The chairman directed that details of income and expenditure with regard to diaries and calenders published during the last four years should also be provided.

Mr Malik would himself hold an inquiry and the findings would be placed before the PBC's general house.