The most vocal minister of PTI Gov, Murad Saeed himself or a central department of his Ministry of Communication is not ready to abide by the directions of Parliament’s Public Account Committee and Departmental Account Committee adding more strength to impression that accountability is not for Gov but for the opposition only. Thus, the department is opening another Pandora box for Prime Minister Imran Khan.
National Highway Authority (NHA) supervised by Minister Murad Saeed is facing a situation that is more than abnormal. PAC and DAC are being taken very easy by the officials of NHA. Ministry of Communication has written letters to Chairman NHA Captain R Sikander Qayum on 11 Sep 2020, to take action against Members, especially Member ED , Director Personnel and General Manager Admin and file explanation why the directions of PAC & DAC were not implemented since 18 Oct 2019.
Further the Ministry has conveyed the displeasure of the committees to Chairman NHA on Ill-Preparation of its General Managers while attending the meeting on 10 Sep 2020.
PAC in its meeting on 18th Oct 2019, pended para 4.2(1) and expressed displeasure for not observing the committee directive regarding posting/transfer under the job rotation policy along with change of station and directed to implement the directions and provide the seven copies of these orders to PAC. The committee further directed the PAO to call the explanation to Director (Personnel), NHA on his misstatement before the PAC and take action against him under (E & D) Rules and report PAC.
But these directions were never taken serious at NHA.
DAC in its meeting on 10 Sep 2020 took notice of this disobedience and further directed as “ DAC suspended the GM (Admin) NHA, and ordered for approaching Establishment Division to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the then Member (Admin) of NHA for failure to comply with the direction of PAC dated 18 Oct 2020.
DAC has directed Chairman NHA to take immediate action accordingly in the light of the decision of PAC dated 18 Oct 2019 and DAC dated 10 Sep 2020 and report in this regard till 14 Sep 2020.
DAC discussed audit para 4.2(3) as well on the accounts of NHA for the year 2017-18 and noted that Member (EC) of NHA was absent in the meeting and failed to share the updated status. DAC has sought explanation from the Member and directed Chairman NHA to suspend him.
Interestingly, the members of NHA avoided to attend the meeting on 10 Sep 2020 and sent General Managers but they were not prepared to satisfy the Committee.
Ministry of Communication writes to Chairman NHA :
“Regrettably most of the senior officials of NHA, particulary Members NHA did not attend the meeting. General Managers present were not prepared and unable to respond to the queries, nor provided any compliance of previous PAC/DAC decision. “
Here the question rises that how the Members can gather so much courage to disobey PAC/DAC orders? It is impossible without the connivance of high ups including the Chairman and ultimately the Minister Communication.
It is worth mentioning that NHA is one of the main departments that are working on the so called Game Changer ‘’CPEC”. And this is the way , how they are going to change the destiny of the nation.
Tazeen Akhtar
