Pak parliamentary committee demands audit of intelligence agencies secret funds

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has demanded an audit of the secret funds of intelligence agencies, and said that these organisations were more interested in political manoeuvering than safeguarding national interests.

Taking serious notice of Rs 400 million that the Intelligence Bureau availed as supplementary grant in fiscal year 2007-08, the committee asked IB Director General Javaid Noor to present his agency’s financial records to audit officials.

PAC chairman Nisar Ahmed said parliament was supreme and all public departments, including security agencies, were answerable to the PAC on the use of public money.

Noting that the intelligence agencies were involved in political manoeuvering, he asked them to focus on national security.

The director IB, who appeared before the committee, said intelligence agencies had been playing a vital role in protection of national security interests and should not indulge in political manoeuvering.

He said his agency was willing to disclose its spending to PAC, but said the briefing should take place in an in-camera meeting because the details were of sensitive nature and could not be made public, the Daily Times reports. (ANI)