The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman missed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday on pretext of having a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan exactly at a time when the latter was distributing certificates among ministers at a ceremony in Islamabad.
The FBR officials appearing before the PAC revealed that Prime Minister Secretariat had called FBR Chairman Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed, implying that the chairman had to attend a meeting at the PM Secretariat rather than a meeting with the premier himself. They, however, were not sure.
PAC Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain ruled that attending PAC meetings was more important for the principal accounting officers (PAOs) – FBR chairman in this case – than meeting the prime minister when they are summoned by the accountability arm of parliament.
The PAC chief told the committee members that FBR chairman telephoned him to tell that he has an urgent meeting with PM Imran at 11am and wanted his permission to skip the PAC meeting. Tanveer said he would put the request before the committee.
Upon asking, several PAC members strongly objected to the idea of seeking permission over the phone at the eleventh hour as the PAC moot is usually scheduled days, and sometimes weeks, before such emergency meetings. They also raised objections on continuing the meeting in the absence of the PAO, especially, when there was nothing in writing before the PAC.
A couple of members favoured going ahead instead of simply letting all the arrangements go to waste but PPP’s Naveed Qamar was absolutely adamant that he would not be a part of any such meeting. “You may go ahead; I can’t be a part of it,” Qamar said, adding, “No PAC without PAO”.
PPP’s Hina Rabbani Khar stated “A phone call in the morning is not the way to seek permission, while adding that “this can’t be allowed in the main PAC meeting”
She was referring to several PAC sub-committees that have been tasked to conclude specific issues or cases referred by the main PAC.
Apparently, the timing of the FBR chairman’s meeting with the premier or attending a meeting at the PM Secretariat chaired by the prime minister clashes with PM Imran’s schedule on Thursday as he was busy awarding certificates of appreciation to the best performing federal ministries at around 11am and, subsequently, addressed the ceremony held in Islamabad.
The PAC was scheduled to be held at 11:30am and had to be adjourned when the FBR officials – Qaiser Iqbal and Badshah Khan Wazir, members operation and accounting, respectively – told the committee that they only knew that the FBR chief had a meeting at the PM Secretariat.
The members refused to go ahead with the meeting in the absence of the FBR chairman and written request. Tanveer too agreed that the FBR chairman should have appeared before the committee to take permission in the absence of a written request, adding “such a precedent can’t be allowed to set”.
He, subsequently, directed the FBR officials to ensure that the FBR chairman appears before the PAC next Thursday, saying he should postpone every other meeting the next time.
Following the meeting, the PAC chairman and other members were taken aback when told that Premier Imran was addressing the ceremony when the PAC meeting was being held.
Tanveer told the media after the meeting that it is felt now that the FBR chief was called in the PM Secretariat and did not have a meeting with the prime minister.
“The PAC should be the priority even if the prime minister calls,” Tanveer added.
Previously, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman had skipped a PAC meeting on grounds that the prime minister had barred the anti-graft chief from appearing before parliamentary committees.
Later on, it was reported that the NAB took a U-turn by requesting the National Assembly secretary to consider its earlier letter as withdrawn.
As per the details, the corruption watchdog had not attended the PAC meeting on account of being affected by Covid-19.
