| Welcome to Global Village Space

Monday, October 14, 2024

Government cannot hold itself accountable: Malik Ahmad Khan

News Desk |

Ali Muhammad Khan, State Minister for parliamentary affairs, speaking to Dr. Moeed Pirzada on his prime-time show at GNN, said that he was hopeful a resolution of the Public Accounts Committee dilemma would come forward before the start of the new year.

Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a sub parliamentary committee, which holds responsible the government in terms of all expenditures made during its tenure, has been under a leadership conundrum. The All Parties consultation directed the authorities that the chairmanship of PAC be ruled by the opposition in order to create a proper check and balance on the government in office.

“It is against logic to hold one’s own-self accountable before the law; especially in public expenditures”, Malik Ahmad Khan said. It is true that the accountability of the government can best be practiced by the opposition.

Dr. Moeed Pirzada, joined on the panel by Minister Ali Muhammad and Malik Muhammad Khan of the PML-N asked the parliamentary affairs minister as to how legislation was possible if Prime Minister Imran Khan insisted that Shahbaz Sharif, as far as democratic culture goes, lacked the ability to be announced as the chairman PAC?”

Reacting to the question Ali Mohammad Khan said that the government has the constitutional right to conduct legislation through ordinances. As the practice of ordinance has been already administered in past, so repeating it for legislation won’t be something unconventional.

Read more: PTI challenges Shahbaz Sharif for the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee

“There is the provision of the ordinance in the constitution of Pakistan for legislation and to put the practice into consideration is nothing new”, Ali Mohammad Khan said. Since 1972, the common procedure for PAC chairmanship was for the State Minister for Finance to be the chairman of PAC. But the trend changed in the Bhutto era where the Finance Ministry was given relief from PAC concern duties.

Departing from the PAC chairmanship appointment trend was supervised by the Baluchistan government in the past five years’ tenure (2013-18). Similarly, Sindh and KP followed the pattern of Baluchistan. Nomination of Fakhar Imam for Federal PAC chairmanship and selection of Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, Speaker KP Assembly, as PAC at provincial level portrays that the culture might be repeated this time as well.

PM Pakistan, Imran Khan’s Initiative against fraudulent and nefarious political practices witnessed the seriousness of government commitment toward the cause”, Ali Mohammad Khan said.

Meanwhile, Malik Ahmad Khan, former MPA Punjab Assembly (PML-N) critically assessed the diversion of PAC chairman appointment practice adopted by the current government. “To hold government authorities culpable, the role of the opposition is vital”, the former Punjab Government spokesperson said.

“It is against logic to hold one’s own-self accountable before the law; especially in public expenditures”, Malik Ahmad Khan said. It is true that the accountability of the government can best be practiced by the opposition. But, since the PTI government has embarked a massive program against corruption and accountability, so they must be given a fair chance in order to test their credibility.

Read more: PML-N threatens quitting over PAC chairmanship

Countering the assumption of Malik Ahmad Khan, Ali Mohammad commented that 100 Days Plan and the rest of party manifesto is revolving around the transparency and accountability. “Politics is an art of finding new ways for the different prevailing crisis; the corrupt practices, money depletion, and no-investment curses are mainly due to lack of accountability in Pakistan. PM Pakistan, Imran Khan’s Initiative against fraudulent and nefarious political practices witnessed the seriousness of government commitment toward the cause”, Ali Mohammad Khan said.