ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sought details of salaries, facilities and concessions and judges’ plots in a month besides the Supreme Court budget audit.
The PAC had a meeting with MNA Noor Alam Khan on the chair in which the Audit Paras related to the Federal Board of Revenue for the year 2020-21 was inspected.
In relation to the salaries, facilities and privileges of the higher judiciary, the Auditor General of Pakistan said that they did not have access to the record.
PAC member Shahida Akhtar Ali said that Canal Road Lahore was closed due to a political party leader. Noor Alam replied: “You are talking about Canal Road Lahore, this is the situation in the whole country. No one is interested in eliminating VIP culture. He said that citizens even during cricket matches. The harassment is being done and the next meeting sought response from the Interior Ministry.
While examining the FBR Audit Para, Noor Alam said that the PAC had sought a list of FBR officers who had been posted at the same place for the past three years. The Auditor General of Pakistan replied that the FBR did not provide the list.
The PAC chairman said that it had also sought details of the income and taxes of the owners in the hidden sectors of Islamabad but no report was received. The PAC directed the owners to receive tax and income details in the fields of G-6, F-9 and E-7 to G-6, F-9 and E-7.
The chairman of the FBR told the committee that the board had sought ownership records from the CDA and once the record was received, confirmation would begin at home. The PAC took notice of the FBR’s failure to provide a complete record to the audit and decided to write a letter to the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Finance.
The committee directed that all the ministries and their affiliated departments, besides the corporations, would have to provide a complete record to the audit authorities.
The FBR chairman said that due to some security issues, audit officials could not be given full access to FBR records. However, the audit officials said they were handed over a CD which contains the FBR selection data. The PAC expressed its displeasure over it. At the PAC meeting, the FBR audit report of the financial year 2021-22 revealed irregularities of Rs 143.11 billion.
Audit officials said the FBR’s nine field offices caused a loss of Rs 40 billion in taxes, due to incoming income estimates. The chairman of the FBR said that three of the banks and fertilizer company were owed Rs 4.20 billion. The PAC initially directed the board to complete the collections.
The chairman of the FBR said that when companies and individuals were asked to pay tax, they would stay. He also said that due to restrictions on imports, the board is facing difficulties in achieving the target of its submission.
He told the committee that after the IMF deal, the dollar is expected to be reduced and matters will start to improve by the end of the month.
He said that after the implementation of a new tax of Rs 170 billion, the target of the FBR has reached Rs 7,600 billion.
The PAC chairman said that smuggling of goods and foreign currency from the borders is increasing and it has called for the Customs Department’s strategy to prevent smuggling.
Member Customs Customs Operations told the committee that smuggling was taking place in Balochistan’s Chagai because there was no border fence. “If action is taken, riots start,” he added.
Noor Alam said that they do not care about the riots, the interest of the country has to be seen. Anti -smuggling forces are left with the Frontier Corps (FC), Member Customs Operations said.
Committee member Burgess Tahir said dollars are being smuggled into Afghanistan by trucks and customs officials are sleeping.
Committee member Riaz Mazari said. “Don’t waste time on the FBR, and if you can, call and ask people who allow smuggling.”
The FBR chairman said Customs had seized smuggled goods worth Rs 38 billion by February 2023. The FBR chairman said that in our border areas, only the notified check posts were arranged.
He said that the Prime Minister had declared the Interior Ministry as a focal ministry for anti -smuggling. “I have requested the Prime Minister to give this role to the FBR,” he said. He added that business rules are being changed in this regard.
The FBR official told the committee that the Customs Department has stopped smuggling of foreign currency worth 4.5 million in a year.
