Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Junaid Akbar Khan was elected as the new chairman of the NA’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a position that holds considerable authority in overseeing the financial dealings of government departments.
This election marks the filling of a crucial post that had been vacant since the general elections of February 2024.
Earlier, PTI had put forward Sher Afzal Marwat as their candidate for the role, but the party later decided to replace him with Sheikh Waqas Akram.
Following further discussions, the final candidate, Junaid Akbar, emerged and was unanimously chosen as the new chairman.
The announcement was made through an official press release from the NA Secretariat, which confirmed that several key figures from both the opposition and government proposed Akbar's name.
The PAC is a significant parliamentary committee with the power to summon individuals or documents from government bodies to ensure financial accountability.
Given the strength of this committee, Akbar’s new role is not only important for his political career but also for maintaining checks and balances within the government’s financial operations.
After his election, Akbar expressed his gratitude for the support of his colleagues and committed to working alongside the committee members to advance its work.
While the nomination process was at times contentious, with both the government and opposition sending multiple names for consideration, the PAC chairmanship is ultimately seen as an opportunity for the opposition to take the lead in ensuring transparency.
Political figures from various parties acknowledged the significance of this decision, with some noting the government’s role in the delay of the appointment, pointing out that the tradition of nominating a panel for the PAC chairmanship has only been recently established.
