1,014 arms licences issued on MPs’ fake signatures cancelled

Daily Times


* Interior secretary tells PAC ministry has imposed complete ban on issuing new licences
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee on Monday directed the Interior Ministry to submit a report of cancellation of arms licences, which were issued on fake signatures of parliamentarians, to the committee within three months.

Interior Secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry informed the committee that the ministry had dug out 1,014 arms licences applications on fake signatures of parliamentarians. After this case, he said the ministry imposed a complete ban on issuing new licences. All licences, which might be issued in the future, would be sent to NADRA for proper verification to make the system more secure. A summary of new arms policy has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, under which new licences will be issued from the secretariat.

The cancellation of licences issued on fake signatures of parliamentarians was in progress and it will take some time, he said, to which the PAC directed the Interior Ministry to submit the report of the cancellation of the licences within three months.

The PAC was informed that the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police had collected Rs 32.533 million under different heads (11 in number) during 2007-08, but the receipts were not deposited in the national exchequer.

The management was utilising such receipts to meet departmental expenses over and above the government budgeted fund without the approval of the Finance Ministry. PAC Chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali questioned why the Finance Ministry was not improving the system. He said the ministry was always the main cause of financial irregularities. “If the Finance Ministry improves its system, about 70 percent of problems related to financial irregularities/mismanagement would be automatically finished. It is always the auditor general of Pakistan that highlights such issues, while the ministry never does its job,” he said. The interior secretary informed the committee that after being given instructions by the PAC, the collection of fees under different heads was stopped, but the Finance Ministry never provided adequate funds. He claimed that these funds were utilised for public welfare and the general people would suffer. Nisar formed a committee, including the finance secretary, interior secretary, auditor general of Pakistan, IG Islamabad, and himself. The committee will hold informal discussion over the issue so as to resolve it permanently. Nisar said that wrongdoers would not be protected, adding that no person from any government service should be allowed to go away if he/she commits isappropriation/irregularities.

About the Pakistan Rangers, he said the former rangers DG was very controversial and claimed that the unit was mainly used for political purposes. He said the role of the rangers was always under emphasised and said that due credit should be given to the unit. About misappropriation by the rangers, he said the PAC wanted financial rules in every government department. “Millions of rupees were deposited by different forces and ministries in the national exchequer,” he said.

Swati calls Benazir Income Support Program 'bogus'

Tribune

Former Minister Azam Khan Swati of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F) on Tuesday termed the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) as “bogus” and “corrupt.”

Swati said that the government’s decision to cut down the budget for higher education by Rs30 billion to facilitate the BISP may benefit some people, but on the whole, will greatly harm the country.

He said that countries do not move forward on the basis of charity, but rather through advancements in science and technology, higher education and vocational training.

Swati was removed from the post of minister for science and technology after he had alleged former minister of religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi to be involved in the Hajj scam, which according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik included corruption worth Rs1.6 million.

In-house change possible

Speaking alongside Swati, JUI-F Secretary General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that an in-house change is possible, if bigger parties like Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam (PML-Q) take some decision in this regard.

Haideri also blamed the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for failing to fulfil its promises with its coalition partners.

Citing an example, Haideri said the PPP had gone back on its promise with the PML-N for the restoration of judges.

No decision on leaving provincial governments yet

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said he has not yet decided whether or not to leave the Balochistan government.

Talking to the media at his residence alongside Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, the JUI-F chief said his party will reach some decision with mutual consultation for which the party’s central executive committee meeting has been called tomorrow.

Rehman said his party left the federal government but quitting the decision to leave the provincial governments has yet not been taken.

Raisani said he does not feel any danger regarding change of his government. He said he does not care if his government is demolished.

Earlier, both the leaders had a meeting in which they discussed the current political situation in the country as well as political scenario of Balochistan.

ECP declares degrees of 2 MPAs as fake

Tribune

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday declared the degrees of two Members of Provincial Assemblies (MPAs) Haji Nasir Mehmood of the Punjab Assembly and Bashir Ahmed Khan of the Sindh Assembly as fake and recommended lodging cases against them.

During the hearing of cases against 17 parliamentarians, two other lawmakers, Ghulam Dastagir Rajar of the National Assembly and Mukesh Kumar of the Sindh Assembly were asked to submit their final statements on the objections raised by Higher Education Commission (HEC).

ECP also recommended lodging cases against Safdar Gill and Mir Badshah Kaisarani.