KARACHI: Bureaucrats dared to challenge Public Accounts Committee's (PAC's) jurisdiction and questioned demand of dues from them for using a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government helicopter.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had earlier submitted a list of 1,800 unauthorised users of KP government helicopter to PAC. These included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, former federal ministers, PTI leaders, government officials and journalists who caused national exchequer to lose over Rs 6.3 billion. PAC had perused list and directed NAB to recover dues from all unauthorised users of helicopter. According to informed sources, bureaucrats said directive went beyond PAC's jurisdiction. A senior civil servant was quoted as saying that flights undertaken were of official nature and they did not use helicopter for rest and recreation.

 "We were mostly asked to accompany chief minister on official visits," he said.   Public Accounts Committee has barred leaders of political parties to utilise provincial chief ministers' helicopters for political gatherings besides untitled officials and guests and gave direction to National Accountability Bureau in this regard. Noor Alam Khan chairing meeting of PAC returned list of 1,800 persons including lawmakers, bureaucrats, media persons and others who were not entitled and utilised helicopter many times, to NAB with fresh instruction that recovery would be made from them. Earlier, committee was informed that KP government estimated that Rs 70 million was spent on a free ride on a helicopter by former Prime Minister Imran Khan and others.

He sought details of usage of helicopters by Punjab government from NAB. He said only chief minister and head of armed forces are entitled to use helicopters during emergency situations.  Committee also asked to reopen case against launching of premier service flight operations by PIAC which incurred Rs 3.1 billion loss to national exchequer. During audit of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation it was observed that company suffered a loss of Rs 3.1 billion due to launching of Premier Service flight operations on August 14, 2016, for London sector on directives of then prime minister.

PIAC management hired aircraft on wet lease from Sri Lanka for an initial period of three months which was extended up to December 2016, despite negative financial feasibility even on Direct Operating Cost, which was done prior to decision of acquiring aircraft. Thus, PIAC suffered a loss in terms of operations and a decrease in revenue.

In another audit para, it was observed that management decided to provide iPads to its business class customers for in-Flight entertainment on Premier Service flights. A contract worth Rs 99.02 million was awarded to Blue Box Avionics UK and two other companies to provide 350 iPads, along with regular accessories, on a rental basis with effect from May 2016 for a period of one year and extended for another six months. This resulted in a loss due to acquiring of iPads on a rental basis.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 12 2022

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