ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee has summoned the Supreme Court’s registrar on May 16, warning that it would issue arrest warrants if he did not comply with the order.

“In case the registrar does not comply, the committee will issue his arrest warrants. We will summon the Registrar again if the court orders a stay on his arrest warrants,” PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan warned on Wednesday.

He also called for an audit of the apex court’s accounts from 2010 to 2021.

This is not the first time that the PAC has called for scrutiny of the Supreme Court’s accounts. The committee had sought a record of the judges’ salaries, perks and privileges last month and in March.

The chairman said the nation should know what salary, perks and privileges were being enjoyed by the apex court’s judges.

“Whether the SC collected funds for the Bhasha dam or the Mohmand dam, details of the accounts must be made public because it is the nation’s money,” said Noor Alam Khan.

He also directed the Auditor General’s office to submit data about salaries, perks and privileges of the president, the prime minister and members of the federal cabinet.

Besides, the PAC also formed two sub-committees to investigate alleged exploitation by car assemblers and fertiliser companies.

Car assemblers, fertiliser firms

The PAC set up a sub-committee after its members expressed displeasure with car assemblers for exploiting their customers. Noor Alam Khan lamented that despite directives, car assemblers had been denying the Auditor General’s office access to their documents for scrutiny.

“Car assemblers have been demanding extra money, in addition to full advance payments from their customers, but delivering vehicles two to three years late,” the PAC chief observed.

Members also expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of cars being produced, describing them as below standard.

The chairman formed another sub-committee to probe the sale of fertiliser at inflated prices reaching up in some cases to Rs6,000, at a time when the cost of production was just Rs800 and the determined rate was Rs2,790.

Noor Alam directed both sub-committees to submit their findings after two or three meetings.

He said he would direct the Auditor General of Pakistan to complete the audit of urea manufacturing companies with assistance from the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency.

Khawaja Asif’s lament

The two sub-committees were formed after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said at the meeting the government was protecting the interests of “powerful” car assemblers.

“Car assemblers are making fortune by selling obsolete technologies to their customers. Whether auto assemblers or fertiliser producers, these companies jack up prices through cartelisation,” he added.

Khawaja Asif said it was ironic that the head of an automobile firm, as well as that of a fertiliser company, were members of the regulatory bodies. “The regulators are the beneficiaries,” Khawaja Asif quipped.

Members of the committee conceded that part of the blame lay with them since they had not spelt out policies to regulate the car assembling and fertiliser production businesses.

“Exploitation of the customer is at its peak. I accept my fault for not looking after the interests of the customer first,” Khawaja Asif admitted. He suggested that import of Japanese cars be allowed to end the assemblers’ monopoly.

No head of any car assembly firm attended the meeting despite invitation.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2023