Federal cabinet orders forensic audit of 10 loss making govt entities

Federal cabinet orders forensic audit of 10 loss making govt entities.

Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said, while briefing the media about cabinet meeting.

He said Tuesday that the cabinet ordered forensic audit of 10 loss making entities.

Federal cabinet orders forensic audit of 10 loss making govt entities

Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar also accompanied him.

Fawad further said Pakistan Railway and Pakistan International Airlines included among those 10 enterprises.

He also named Sui Southern Gas Pipeline Company among those running in loss.

He said the authorities concerned would complete the audit by June 30 this year.

The minister further said 51 out of 85 loss-making State Owned Enterprises have become profitable due to prudent policies of the government.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan has been personally monitoring the prices of daily use commodities.

Govt is taking all possible steps to provide relief to the common man.

Fawad Chaudhry said when Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) came to power, the economy remained in a shambles.

But the government had taken all possible steps to protect the poor segments of the society from the effects of inflation and price hike.

Utility Stores Corporation

He said good news was that Utility Stores Corporation was ruined during the previous regimes but due to efforts of the present government, it would come out of loss by the end of the year.

The minister said the cabinet expressed its concern over the increasing incidents of the corona virus.

Furthermore, they expressed the hope that Pakistan would also handle the third phase the way it had handled the first two phases.

He said the pandemic had played havoc with the health systems and economies of many developed countries. But Pakistan  successfully saved the lives and livelihood of the people due to timely action and effective policies.

Chaudhry Fawad said at the start of the meeting the Prime Minister highlighted the issue of transparency in the electoral system.

Accountability

PTI had two important points in its manifesto which included accountability and transparency in elections.

The PM directed for introduction of electronic voting system. He also sought weekly update on the process of introduction of electronic voting machines.

He lamented some political forces always disputed the election process.

But the government wanted to ensure transparency for the satisfaction of the general public.

He said the cabinet gave approval to the proposal of appointment of Raja Mazhar as Managing Director of National Book Foundation.

License policy

The cabinet also gave approval to end the ban on issuance of prohibited and non-prohibited bore licenses of arms by approving the comprehensive license policy.

He said the cabinet also discussed the issue of improper use of petroleum companies CSR. Now rules have been changed and Minister for Petroleum has been authorized to monitor the entire process of CSR utilization.

He said the cabinet gave approval to the proposal of issuing smart cards to registered Afghan refugees and this decision was part of the prime minister’s policy of providing relief to the poor people.

The cabinet was informed that this year 400,000 new gas connections have been given whereas the target was 600,000 by the end of the current fiscal year.

The next year the target would be issuing 1.2 million new gas connections. He said so far only 27 per cent residents had been provided piped gas facility whereas 67 per cent were still without this important facility.

He said reforms were being done in the gas sector and a new system would be introduced to bring these 67 per cent in this regime.

….Briefing on structural reforms

He said the cabinet also got briefing on structural reforms.

They decided that in future latest audit paragraphs would come up before the public accounts committee.

It aims to promote the timely process of parliamentary supervision and accountability.

The Minister said tax exemption was granted on auto-disable syringes to prevent spread of various diseases.

Fawad said the Ministry of Interior had been directed to formulate a comprehensive policy regarding arms licenses within a few weeks.

To another question, the minister said some 66 oil marketing companies existed in the country.

About 92 percent oil was being supplied by only eight oil companies.

Opposition parties

Replying to a query, the minister termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) a group of “political orphans”.

He lamented Mahmood Achakzai, Aftab Sherpao and others, whose parties did not have even members in the national and provincial legislatures.

He said they don’t have any stake or role in the system, but they were demanding resignations from assemblies.

Fawad named the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party as the big parties in the PDM.

He hoped they would not favour any such rash demand as they knew the consequences.

However, he said if they agreed to do so, then it would be important to see how many legislators would follow their decision.

While answering another query, Fawad said during the current year, around 450,000 gas connections installed.

He aid government set 600,000 as the target for next year.

Fawad also spoke on the demand for resignations of Chief election Commissioner and ECP members.

Ge further referred to Article 218 (3) of the Constitution. He said it clearly states the ECP responsible to conduct free, fair and transparent elections with no corrupt practices.

Election Commission

All the political parties had the consensus that the ECP had failed to fulfill its responsibilities in that regard, he added.

He cited the Supreme Court had advised the ECP to use technology for ensuring transparent elections, with no corrupt practices. But it failed to do so.

Moreover, he also referred to the videos of horse-trading and votes buying surfaced before the Senate election.

Fawad said even a common man knew very well about the Senate elections’ transparency.

As a political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had only conveyed the people’s demand to the ECP.

Fawad said public demand for EDCP high-up to tender resignations.

He urged them to give an opportunity to the Parliament to form a new Commission.

The current Commission was not serving the purpose for which it was created.

He said the ECP could only be credible if all the political parties had faith in it.

Fawad said that disputed ECP cannot take the matters forward.”

He warned the CEC and ECP members of using all legal options.

Options include the contempt of court, if they did not resign from their posts.

GTV