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PAC Probes Bureaucrats’ Portugal Properties, Seeks Utility Stores Closure Clarification
PAC demands list of bureaucrats owning property in Portugal & questions closure of utility stores. Committee also seeks details on Hajj staff deployments.
ND
by News Desk
2025-08-12
PAC Probes Bureaucrats’ Portugal Properties, Seeks Utility Stores Closure Clarification

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has taken notice of bureaucrats purchasing properties in Portugal and has called for a complete list of such officers from the Establishment Division and the Ministry of Interior.

In a meeting chaired by Junaid Akbar, the PAC also decided to summon the relevant departments over the closure of utility stores. Committee member Naveed Qamar expressed concern that despite earlier government assurances, utility stores were being shut down and employees were losing their jobs.

The committee further examined matters related to staff deployment for Hajj. PAC Chairman Junaid Akbar inquired about the number of staff sent to Saudi Arabia each year, to which the Secretary of Religious Affairs responded that approximately 1,700 personnel are sent annually, with 20 percent of the quota allocated to the police. Under Saudi guidelines, one assistant is appointed for every hundred pilgrims. However, staff members travel on service visas and are restricted from entering Mina and Arafat.

Audit officials raised concerns that if the staff members perform Hajj themselves, they may not be able to fulfill their duties toward assisting pilgrims. It was further revealed that last year, 350 Grade 18 officers were among those sent. The PAC has now sought complete details of all employees, across all grades, who participated in the Hajj mission.

 
Tagged:

PAC

Accountability

Bureaucracy

UtilityStores
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