ISLAMABAD: Making history, the National Assembly on Monday put the government’s top audit official, Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), in the dock, charging him with “misconduct” for having received more than Rs4.6 million in what it called “excess salary and privileges” in about three years and demanding his removal through a presidential reference to the Supreme Judicial Council.

In the first such action in Pakistan’s parliamentary history, the house unanimously adopted a special report of its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) demanding the recovery from AGP Muhammad Akhtar Buland Rana a total of Rs46,278,13 paid to him as allegedly excess pay or allowances and expenses of fuel and repair for two unauthorised vehicles.

Know more: Tug of war for prized post of AG Sindh

Lawmakers from almost all parliamentary groups in the house and both sides of aisle supported the report presented by PAC chairman Khursheed Ahmed Shah, who is also the leader of opposition, based on a report of a multi-party sub-committee that investigated the charges, which first emanated from a newspaper report.

While some lawmakers called the alleged refusal of the AGP to appear before the inquiry sub-committee a breach of the privilege of the entire house, the PAC’s final report made four specific charges against him, including that he, “being responsible to safeguard the interest of the government of Pakis­tan, has not ensured accountability and fiscal transparency in government operations”.

The other charges were that the AGP “tarnished the image of … (his) constitutional position and its credibility by drawing excessive salary and allowances”, acted “against the law in financial matters for his personal benefit”, and “deliberately violated the oath of auditor-general’s office”.

The report also called for initiating disciplinary action against Manzar Hafeez Mian, the then accountant general of Pakistan revenues, and Farhad Khan, the then controller general of accounts.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2014