ISLAMABAD, Jan 10 (APP):Minister for Finance Asad Umar Thursday asked the office of Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) to utilize its full potential to ensure accountability in all public sector institutions of the country.The AGP must take its responsibility to ensure that public money is spent prudently, honestly and effectively, Asad Umar said while addressing the Second Pak-China Public Auditing seminar held here today.
A six-member delegation from Chinese National Audit Office headed by Dr Sun Baohou is participating the two-day seminar.
Asad Umar said that so far full potential had not been utilized from the country's supreme audit institution adding that it should work independently as when it will be able to exercise its authority and mandate without any political interference, it will lead the country to economically more strengthened and prosperous.
He said, "We must learn lessons from Chinese efforts of curbing corruption at the grass-roots level".
"During last decade China, through its actions has ensured that every penny of the people is spent honestly", the minister said adding that it was a very powerful message because a number of people argue that in developing countries if you try to control corruption it will hamper growth and it will not good for the economy.
He quoted the example of China, which made a staggered growth of up to 9.9 percent after taking hard actions against corruption.
"Despite high economic growth they (Chinese) are still feeling compelled to run very effective and high profile campaign against the corrupt elements in their country," he said.
He expressed the government's resolve of making the public sector institutions more independent and strengthened to ensure socio-economic development of the people of the country.
He said during recent years, Pakistan's judiciary had got more independent and strengthened and "over a longer, Pakistan will be at a better place as a result of independent judiciary".
He said the seminar would help both the countries to share each other's knowledge and experience.
Asad Umar also stressed the need for promoting Private-Public Partnership (PPP) as it played important role in promoting financial development of the nation.
He said that the government was mulling over establishing a Public Private Partnership Authority which was in the process of advertisement and building professional team.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Auditor General of Pakistan Javed Jahangir said the Supreme Audit Institution was playing important role in assisting parliamentary oversight over the executive functioning especially in context of financial management and delivery of services and while doing so it becomes instrumental in promoting and strengthening the accountability process in the country.
He informed that these types of events provide ample opportunities to the professionals of both
organizations to share their ideas, experiences and expertise especially not only on the subject of seminar but also in other fields of public sector auditing and best practices.
Such collaboration helps in further strengthening of audit approach, knowledge, methodologies, and techniques which add value and improve overall quality of the content and presentation of different audit products.
