Latest news with #JunaidAkbarKhan
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
ST cut on sugar imports: PAC grills tax authorities over FBR's decision
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday grilled tax authorities over a controversial decision by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to slash sales tax on sugar imports from 18 per cent to a mere 0.25 per cent, alleging the move was intended to benefit powerful lobbies. PAC member Riaz Fatyana raised the issue during a session chaired by Junaid Akbar Khan, pointing out that the drastic reduction was implemented through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO), which he said served vested interests. 'This decision reeks of favouritism,' Fatyana said. 'It appears to have been designed to give financial advantage to specific groups.' Committee member Sanaullah Khan Masti Khel didnot minces words, calling it a 'broad daylight robbery' and accusing the authorities of colluding with sugar cartels. MNA Moeen Aamir Pirzada added that the practice of exporting sugar first and then importing it back was an engineered cycle designed for profit manipulation. The committee expressed strong reservations and summoned top officials from the FBR and the Ministry of Commerce to appear in the next session to explain the rationale and legality of the tax reduction. 'This is not just mismanagement; it's systemic exploitation,' said Masti Khel. The PAC warned that it would not let the matter slide without a thorough investigation and accountability.
Business Recorder
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PAC questions PSO MD over oil spill incident
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) grilled Pakistan State Oil (PSO) managing director (MD), who failed to satisfy the committee regarding an incident where 1.190 million litres of HSD worth millions of rupees was spilled. The committee met under the chairmanship of Junaid Akbar Khan which took notice on an application of Jamshed Dasti and observed it as major negligence. Secretary Petroleum Division while expressing ignorance about the incident, termed it a major negligence and recommended formation of an independent multi-stakeholders' inquiry committee which could also find out whether other criminality including theft was involved in it or not. The PSO MD informed the committee on 23rd August 2024, an oil spill incident occurred at JIMCO, while taking HSD receipt from PAPCO. After taking 1st receipt in tank 803, line up was developed for tank 818 and receipt was started for 2nd parcel. But receipt valve of 803 remained open, and tank overflowed which occurred during the Friday prayer break. Upon identification of issue, pumping was immediately stopped from PAPCO and retrieval process was started with bets efforts and available resources. The spilled quantity was 1,190,967 litres of HSD. After initial retrieval and reconciliation in August 2024, 167,313 litre have been retrieved subsequently. He further said that an internal enquiry was conducted and punitive action was taken against five employees along with termination of service and Rs41 million was recovered. Moreover, GM Operation was also demoted and removed from the department. PSO's share of loss was Rs187.9 million. However, the committee rejected the report while raising questions on the selection criteria for the environmental audit. It also rejected the report of PSO and the Ministry of Petroleum on the matter and asked what impact it had on the environment. It asked what input was taken from the EPA, on which the officials were unable to respond. The committee referred the matter to a sub-committee for investigation. The committee also took audit objections regarding Pakistan Post Office. An unauthorised use of funds of Rs4 billion by the Post Office was revealed. The committee said that the matter should be resolved within three months. The committee revealed that NADRA has been occupying the State Bank building in Islamabad for 25 years. The committee was informed that during audit of State Bank of Pakistan, Banking Services Corporation (SBP-BSC), Islamabad for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22, it was observed that NADRA occupied building of SBP-BSC, Islamabad in year 2000, without any agreement and payment of rent. The Ministry of Finance (MoF) convened several meetings to resolve the issue between SBP and NADRA, in which, it was decided that compensation charges @ Rs7.00 per sq ft will be paid by NADRA and NCD to SBP since occupation till year 2003 and thereafter with enhancement as per provision of Rent Restriction Ordinance, 2000. However, it was observed that Rs20.961 million (124,770 sq ft @ Rs7.000 per sq ft @ 24 months) for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 was not recovered by the management nor the space was vacated by NADRA till date. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PAC grills PSO chief over oil spill incident
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) grilled Pakistan State Oil (PSO) managing director (MD), who failed to satisfy the committee regarding an incident where 1.190 million litres of HSD worth millions of rupees was spilled. The committee met under the chairmanship of Junaid Akbar Khan which took notice on an application of Jamshed Dasti and observed it as major negligence. Secretary Petroleum Division while expressing ignorance about the incident, termed it a major negligence and recommended formation of an independent multi-stakeholders' inquiry committee which could also find out whether other criminality including theft was involved in it or not. The PSO MD informed the committee on 23rd August 2024, an oil spill incident occurred at JIMCO, while taking HSD receipt from PAPCO. After taking 1st receipt in tank 803, line up was developed for tank 818 and receipt was started for 2nd parcel. But receipt valve of 803 remained open, and tank overflowed which occurred during the Friday prayer break. Upon identification of issue, pumping was immediately stopped from PAPCO and retrieval process was started with bets efforts and available resources. The spilled quantity was 1,190,967 litres of HSD. After initial retrieval and reconciliation in August 2024, 167,313 litre have been retrieved subsequently. He further said that an internal enquiry was conducted and punitive action was taken against five employees along with termination of service and Rs41 million was recovered. Moreover, GM Operation was also demoted and removed from the department. PSO's share of loss was Rs187.9 million. However, the committee rejected the report while raising questions on the selection criteria for the environmental audit. It also rejected the report of PSO and the Ministry of Petroleum on the matter and asked what impact it had on the environment. It asked what input was taken from the EPA, on which the officials were unable to respond. The committee referred the matter to a sub-committee for investigation. The committee also took audit objections regarding Pakistan Post Office. An unauthorised use of funds of Rs4 billion by the Post Office was revealed. The committee said that the matter should be resolved within three months. The committee revealed that NADRA has been occupying the State Bank building in Islamabad for 25 years. The committee was informed that during audit of State Bank of Pakistan, Banking Services Corporation (SBP-BSC), Islamabad for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22, it was observed that NADRA occupied building of SBP-BSC, Islamabad in year 2000, without any agreement and payment of rent. The Ministry of Finance (MoF) convened several meetings to resolve the issue between SBP and NADRA, in which, it was decided that compensation charges @ Rs7.00 per sq ft will be paid by NADRA and NCD to SBP since occupation till year 2003 and thereafter with enhancement as per provision of Rent Restriction Ordinance, 2000. However, it was observed that Rs20.961 million (124,770 sq ft @ Rs7.000 per sq ft @ 24 months) for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 was not recovered by the management nor the space was vacated by NADRA till date. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PTI launches province-wide movement for Imran's release
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter has formally launched the public phase of its campaign titled "Release the Party Founder Movement". The initiative is being spearheaded by PTI K-P President Junaid Akbar Khan and will span the entire province. A detailed directive has been issued by General Secretary Ali Asghar Khan, instructing each regional chapter to hold two to three major public events — such as rallies, processions, and conventions — on a weekly basis. These events will be led by local MPAs and ticket holders, while district and tehsil-level leadership, including MNAs and local chairpersons, have been directed to provide full support. All subsidiary wings of the party, including the Insaf Students Federation (ISF), Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF), and the youth, women, labour, and minority wings, have been mobilised to play a frontline role in the movement. They have been tasked with engaging directly with constituents and spreading the campaign message at the grassroots level. Organisational units at the regional, district, and tehsil levels have been assigned the responsibility of expanding the movement's reach and converting public sentiment into actionable support. Consultative meetings will be held across all regions in the coming week, with Junaid Akbar Khan presiding. These gatherings will finalise the next phase of the campaign.
Business Recorder
30-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PAC examines MOC's audit report
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday examined the audit report of the Ministry of Communication for the year. During the meeting, audit officials said that instead of 3,938 sanctioned posts, 4,252 were advertised. 314 additional recruitments were made. On one point, Junaid Akbar Khan said that the documents of the majority are fake; jobs were sold, and you are saying there is a stay order. Most peoples' documents were forged, he added. Whoever took the money did wrong, and whoever gave the money also did wrong, member Afnanullah Khan said. He recommended action should be taken against those responsible. Action should also be taken against whoever made the appointments, says Junaid Akbar Khan. The committee referred the matter of illegal recruitments to NAB for investigation as well as decided to summon the Attorney General regarding the stay order cases. Audit objection also been raised pertaining to the unauthorised use of over Rs 4 billion by Pakistan Post Office. The communications secretary said, 'We have taken departmental action.' He said that reconciliation with the bank is very important. 'How did you use the money from utility bills?' asks the committee chairman. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
