Islamabad: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to withdraw additional charges held by officers on multiple posts and complete its pending financial statements within two months.
The PAC meeting, chaired by Shahida Akhtar Ali, reviewed audit reports of the Ministry of Interior.
The committee also expressed concern over the absence of the NADRA chairman from the meeting. Committee member Moeen Amir Pirzada said Parliament was being represented by the committee and suggested that a privilege motion should be moved over the chairman's absence.
The chairperson said the NADRA chairman had informed the committee through a letter that he could not attend the meeting. The committee subsequently deferred the audit objections concerning NADRA.
Audit officials informed the committee that the CDA had not prepared financial statements since 1960 despite repeated directions.
CDA officials said the financial statement for 2023-24 would be finalised soon. CDA Chairman acknowledged the audit observations and said the authority was compiling records for the last five years.
He said the CDA had approximately 17, 000 sanctioned posts, of which around 12, 000 were occupied, while 5, 000 posts had been abolished.
Committee member Syed Naveed Qamar questioned the practice of assigning multiple charges to a single officer and called for an end to the practice.
The PAC chairperson directed the CDA to withdraw additional charges held by officers within 60 days.
CDA officials said data relating to the authority's expenditure, income, employees, vehicles, land and furniture for the last five years had been compiled.
The committee was informed that more than 8, 000 court cases involving the CDA had also contributed to delays in compiling the complete record.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla criticised the CDA over longstanding cases and alleged that the authority had become a "mafia", saying that in some matters even the CDA chairman was unable to take effective action.
The PAC directed the CDA to complete the financial statements within 60 days and ensure that additional charges held by officers were withdrawn within the stipulated period.