A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided that the Federal Government will constitute Commission of Inquiry under Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017. The Commission of Inquiry will consist of senior officers from Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Auditor General’s Office, Federal Investigation Agency and others. According to media report, the Commission will investigate how the debt of the country in last ten years i.e. from 2008 to 2018 increased by Rs24,000 billion whereas no mega projects were carried out in the country during this period.
The Commission will also look into all ministries and divisions including ministers concerned who have spent public money and where any misappropriation found, the Commission will work for return of this money to the exchequer. The Commission will also look into any misuse of public exchequer for personal use and gains, such as foreign travels, foreign medical treatment expenses, construction of roads and infrastructure for private houses declared as camp offices of high officials. The Commission, in addition to its members, will be empowered to induct forensic auditors and experts of international repute for its assistance. Final TORs and announcement of the Commission will be made including its head during this week. Prime Minister Imran Khan had called upon the nation to end the practice of glorifying money launderers, who were seeking refuge behind democracy. The Prime Minister said these money launderers had incurred immense damage to the nation and had left the people impoverished. In his address to the nation late Tuesday night, Imran Khan said that he would form a high-powered commission to probe the massive Rs24,000 billion debt piled up in the last 10 years.
Formation of inquiry commission for investigation of utilization of debt may be a good development because currently major portion of revenue is being utilized for interest payments. This is one of major reasons of fiscal deficit which is creating burden on economy. The government should take steps to ensure that this commission will not be used for victimization of its political opponents. The government should appoint a fair, honest and credible personality as a head of this commission. The opposition parties should have no objection on this step because these parties have significantly increased debt burden during their tenure of the governments.
