MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Secretariat has notified the formation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after two and a half years of hiatus.
The Public Accounts Committee, a legislative body, has the primary objective of upholding transparency and accountability across all public bodies and constitutional institutions under the government of Azad Kashmir.
The notification issued by the interim secretary AJK Legislative Assembly stated that the assembly session on August 5 approved the six-member Public Accounts Committee.
The chairmanship of the committee has been entrusted to former Prime Minister and MLA Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan.
The committee includes six elected members of the assembly, including Muhammad Rafique Nayyar, Chaudhry Muhammad Ismail, Sabiha Siddique Chaudhry, Opposition Leader Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, and Hassan Ibrahim Khan.
The assembly members appointed Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan as an ex-officio member.
The inclusion of Sabiha Siddique Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Women and Gender Equality, and Leader of the Opposition Khawaja Farooq balances the political and gender representation of the committee.
The establishment of the Public Accounts Committee is being described as an important step to make the accountability process effective in Azad Kashmir, maintain financial discipline, and ensure transparent and proper use of public resources.
