ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the auditor general to audit Supreme Court’s account and submit a report.
In the meeting on Tuesday, the committee also sought the details of salaries, perks and plots allotted to judges of superior courts.
This is not the first time that the PAC has attempted to look into the SC’s accounts. In Dec 2022, the committee decided to write a letter to the apex court for details about the fund set up by former chief justice Saqib Nisar to collect money for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the committee also examined the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) audit report.
PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan directed the auditor general to furnish details of officers posted to a specific station for over three years.
The auditor general, Mohammad Ajmal Gondal, told the committee that the FBR did not share the details.
Mr Khan also questioned the discrepancy in the income of landlords in Islamabad and the tax paid by them.
The PAC chief claimed some landlords owning “palatial houses” in the federal capital are getting Rs2.5 million monthly rent from their tenants. “But they don’t pay any tax on this income,” he added.
He directed the FBR chairman to submit details on the matter.
The FBR chairman told the committee that records have been sought from the Capital Development Authority and asked for a week to provide relevant details.
The auditors pointed out that the FBR was unable to recover billions of rupees because of litigation as businessmen easily obtain a stay order whenever served notice by the tax authority.
The PAC chairman directed the FBR to vigorously pursue the cases and also directed all ministries and departments to share records with auditors.
Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2023
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