The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has launched a wide-ranging investigation into allegations of financial misconduct and procedural irregularities, including fraud in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, controversial property acquisitions by Pakistani bureaucrats in Portugal, and the imposition of sales tax in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The committee, led by Chairman Junaid Akbar, has called on various government agencies, including the Ministry of Interior, State Bank, and Federal Board of Revenue, to submit comprehensive briefings and relevant documentation for its next meeting.
A major focus of the ongoing inquiry is the recent claim by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that several Pakistani bureaucrats have purchased properties in Portugal. In response, the PAC has demanded a complete list of officials who have acquired assets in Portugal and has instructed the concerned departments to explain the scale and legality of these acquisitions.
The committee is also scrutinizing the imposition of sales tax in the erstwhile FATA, questioning its impact on local residents and seeking a full briefing to understand the rationale behind the policy. Additionally, members expressed concern over the reported closure of utility stores in the region and agreed to gather more information to address the issue.
During the session, the PAC investigated a significant case involving the alleged embezzlement of Rs 12 million from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The committee questioned the involvement of senior officials, including the Director General of Hajj, in the suspected fraud related to remittances. Senators Afnanullah Khan and Bilal Mandokhail voiced doubts that such a large-scale misappropriation could be the work of a single individual, criticizing the ministry for its slow response. The committee noted that, so far, no red notices had been issued nor properties confiscated from the accused.
Officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that the main suspect, a former assistant accountant, had already relocated to Canada prior to the discovery of the fraud, having secured a visa before the charges surfaced. The ministry claimed to have referred the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which subsequently blocked the suspect’s identification documents and passports. The PAC has now instructed authorities to seize all properties associated with the accused and submit a detailed progress report within a month.
The committee also turned its attention to staffing practices at the Pakistani Hajj Mission in Saudi Arabia, questioning the need for maintaining a large team of staff year-round. Members suggested that employing local hires could be more efficient and cost-effective than regularly sending staff from Pakistan. Concerns were raised regarding the eligibility and frequency of government employees being dispatched on official Hajj duties. In response, the Secretary of Religious Affairs clarified that only government employees are sent for such roles and proposed limiting these assignments in future to staff of grade 11 and above, ensuring that no one apart from the designated assistants performs the Hajj free of charge.
