CONFINDENTIAL

The ISI has neither reported any progress on the project, nor provided any adjustments of the accounts. Therefore, the PAC’s intervention has been sought.— Dawn File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Already in the eye of the storm for its political role, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency came under criticism at a Public Accounts Committee meeting on Tuesday for having spent over Rs4 billion on a project which never materialised.

The PAC of the National Assembly was informed that the National Police Bureau (NPB) had handed over Rs2.1bn to the ISI in 2005-06 for setting up an automated fingerprints identification system and a police record and office management system.

The project also included the setting up of a national integrated trunk radio system for police. Later, the amount was increased to Rs4.1bn.

According to an audit report presented before the PAC, the project had to be completed during 2005-06. However, no progress was reported in 2006-07.

NPB Director General Aleena Saeed Iqbal said she had repeatedly sought from the ISI information about the status of the project and details of the accounts, but there had been no response.

She said she had no information about the project, although the entire amount spent on it had been transferred through the bureau. “The only thing I can do is to ask them about the project, which I am doing on regular basis,” she added.

According to documents presented at the meeting, by November last year the NPB had released Rs4.1bn to the ISI for the project.

The ISI has neither reported any progress on the project, nor provided any adjustments of the accounts. Therefore, the PAC’s intervention has been sought.