PM Gilani sacks Pak Steel chairman on corruption charges
19 August, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announced in the National Assembly on Tuesday that chairman of the Pakistan Steel Mills Moin Aftab Shaikh had been sacked on corruption charges.
“I had directed the Interior Ministry to investigate the affairs of the Pakistan Steel Mills and submit a report,” he said while speaking at the National Assembly. A detailed report on corruption in the Pakistan Steel appeared in a local newspaper (The News) on Tuesday.
Presenting himself for accountability, the prime minister said he had also asked the Auditor General’s office to initiate audit of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and scrutinise its accounts. “I visited the Auditor General’s office, along with Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. I asked them to start the process of auditing from his government. We told the auditor general that we are ready to extend full support to him as we believe in strong institutions,” he said.
The prime minister said he is prepared to face accountability and will take steps to uproot corruption and extend all assistance to the Auditor General of Pakistan. He said the Public Accounts Committee is the most important committee of the House and it is like judiciary, which can take suo moto action on any issue.
“Other standing committees of the House can also take suo moto notice of corruption in the relevant ministries,” he said. “The strengthening of audit and the committee system of parliament will ensure proper accountability,” he added.
The prime minister said committees of the House should be made more effective. “We should be answerable to the House,” he said. About the issue of national census, the prime minister said the matter was considered by the federal cabinet and the proposal was put on hold for the time being at the request of the NWFP government as the situation in the province was not conducive for such an exercise at the moment. He said census would be conducted at the right time, as it is extremely important for distribution of resources and future planning.
Parliamentary leader of PML-Q Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat welcomed the prime minister’s announcement about sacking of the Pakistan Steel Mills chairman. “Sacking of the chairman is not enough. The squandered money should be brought back,” he added.
He said the opposition had submitted an adjournment motion regarding corruption in the government institutions and it should be taken up for debate. Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Ghauri described the prime minister’s decision as a step towards good governance.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik in a statement in the House said Allama Ali Sher Haideri was killed in Khairpur due to personal enmity. He said investigation has been ordered and the report will also be submitted in the House.
Referring to corruption charges, he said the standing committees of the House are empowered to take suo moto notice in this regard and assured the House that any matter referred by the chairmen of the standing committees would be taken seriously.
The minister said the crackdown against terrorists would continue till the country is rid of terrorism. He said due to operation in Swat and Malakand areas incidents of suicide bombings have subsided considerably.
Earlier, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan assured the House that report of investigation into the assassination of Allama Ali Sher Haideri would be submitted in the House within two days.
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