Day: July 6, 2021

Transparency International Pakistan has received a complaint regarding alleged corruption in the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP).

Transparency International Pakistan wrote a letter to the Finance Minister, Shaukat Tarin, in this regard on July 5, detailing that a complaint has been received on allegations of corruptions “according to NAO 1999, Section 9, on the allegations of corruption committed illegal appointment of Chairman and President of NBP.”

A petition was also filed in Islamabad High Court (IHC) on June 2, and later the IHC also issued directives in end-June to remove the two officials – National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) President, Arif Usmani, and the bank’s Chairman Board of Directors (BoD), Zubair Soomro, – with immediate effect.

The petition was filed by citizens Syed Jahangir, Javed Iqbal, Fazal Raheem, and Latif Qureshi. It alleged that the NBP president’s appointment was contrary to the guidelines of the Public Sector (Appointment of Chief Executive) Guidelines 2015.

The petitioners argued that the president of the bank had a physics degree, contrary to the requirement of a degree in banking and finance. This made him ineligible for the post of chief executive of the bank, the petition said. ProPakistani covered the order of IHC.

The letter by Transparency International Pakistan also shared that they have received the same complaint.

However, the letter also pointed out that according to the NAO 1999, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed several corruption references against the prime ministers, ministers, and other officers and beneficiaries responsible for illegal appointments, in state-owned enterprises.

Like the decision issued by the IHC, Transparency International Pakistan also found the complaint to have merit and said, “As the appointments of Chairman NBP and President NBP were not according to laid down procedures and have been declared illegal, besides the recovery of losses inflicted on the national exchequer by way of hundreds of millions of rupee remuneration paid to Chairman and President, the Ministers/officers responsible for illegal appointments, and beneficiaries should be tried for committing corruption.”

The letter recommended that the Ministry of Finance examine the allegations, and immediately initiate measures to recover the losses, and also ensure that officers responsible are made accountable.

Source: Pro Pakistani

The federal government has decided to disburse July’s pay and allowances/pension in advance to all government servants on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

The Finance Ministry on Tuesday issued directions to the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues, Military Accountant General Rawalpindi, and Chief Accounts Officer Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad pertaining to the disbursement of pay and allowances/pension for July 2021, in advance to all federal government servants and pensioners on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

Attention is invited to Note-4 of Rule-217 to the Treasury Rules, which states that if the festival of Eid-ul-Azha falls within the last ten days of a month, the salary of that month may be disbursed in advance to all federal government servants and pensioners observing the festival.

The advance should not be disbursed earlier than five days before the date of the festival.

Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on July 20 or 21, 2021 (depending upon the sighting of the Moon). It is pertinent to mention that the above Rule becomes applicable if Eid-ul-Azha is observed on July 21, 2021.

It is, therefore. requested that arrangement may kindly be made to disburse the salary and pension for July 2021 to the federal government servants and pensioners on July 16, 2021, subject to the condition that if Eid-ul-Azha is observed on July 21, 2021.

Source: Pro Pakistani

A large number of banned consignments have been detained by Customs at the ports since the last many years. However, the consignments have not been re-exported by the importers or shipping companies, which brought these banned consignments into Pakistan.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended a special power to the customs officials in the field formations to issue instructions to the shipping lines to re-export out of Pakistan any banned or restricted goods.

Previously, such powers were not available with the customs department to direct shipping lines in this regard.

In a communication to the field formations, the FBR has conveyed to the Collectors of Customs that a number of consignments containing banned or restricted goods are lying at the ports since long. The Para 20 of the Import Policy Order prescribes that banned items imported in commercial quantities shall be re-exported at the expense of the importer or the shipping line. There is no such corresponding provision in the Customs Act, 1969.

In order to make shipping lines responsible for re-export of such consignment and to harmonize the provisions of the Customs Act, 1969 and the IPO, section 82 has been amended, FBR’s directive added.

Under the amendment made in the Customs Act 1969 through Finance Act 2021, provided that Collector of Customs may direct the importer or in case the importer is not traceable, the shipping line to re-export out of Pakistan any goods, banned or restricted, through a notification issued by the Federal Government, if the same are not cleared or auctioned within sixty days of the date of their arrival.

Source: Pro Pakistani