SC orders AGP to audit DHA accounts

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday ordered the Auditor-General of Pakistan to audit the accounts of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Lahore.

Announcing its verdict into separate petitions regarding state institutions claiming immunity from audit of accounts, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jawwad S Khawaja ordered Auditor-General Rana Asad Ameen to proceed with DHA's audit.

DHA should provide all required documents to the auditor-general for audit of their accounts, the apex court ordered a lawyer for DHA.

According to the Constitution, all federal and provincial governments and departments are required to have their accounts audited by the auditor-general, the court ordered.

The claim of immunity from audit by 19 state institutions is against the Constitution, said the Supreme Court in its verdict.

The case involves a dispute over possession of 137 kanals of land in Lahore.

According to the prosecutor-general, the DHA has allegedly occupied 137 canals land of the Punjab government, 64 kanals of which was allotted by former PM Muhammad Khan Junejo for the settlement of katchi abadis residents in Lahore.

At the last hearing of the case, Auditor General Rana Asad Ameen informed the court that they have written six letters to the DHA for carrying out the audit of accounts but its management was not cooperating with them. He said that the AGP did not have powers like the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).