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2008 Assessment

Pakistan: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Pakistan: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Budget Processes
Indicators		Score
40	Can the legislature provide input to the national budget?	83
41	Can citizens access the national budgetary process?	67
42	Is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?	100
43	Is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds effective?	75

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Can the legislature provide input to the national budget?

40a: In law, the legislature can amend the budget.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Constitution of Pakistan 1973, article 81

Shakil Ahmad, advocate, Supreme Court, Peshawar

40b: In practice, significant public expenditures require legislative approval.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: All significant government expenditures (defined as any project costing more than 1% of the total national budget), must be approved by the legislature. This includes defense and secret programs, which may be debated in closed hearings. <p>50 Score Criteria: Most significant government expenditures (as defined) are approved by the legislature, but some exceptions to this rule exist. This may include defense programs, an executive\'s personal budget, or other expenses. <p>0 Score Criteria: The legislature does not have the power to approve or disapprove large portions of the government budget, or the legislature does not exercise this power in a meaningful way.$

Comments:

References: Constitution of Pakistan 1973, articles 78-84

Shakil Ahmad, advocate, Supreme Court, Peshawar

40c: In practice, the legislature has sufficient capacity to monitor the budget process and provide input or changes.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Constitution of Pakistan 1973, articles 81-84

Shakil Ahmad, advocate, Supreme Court, Peshawar

Can citizens access the national budgetary process?

41a: In practice, the national budgetary process is conducted in a transparent manner in the debating stage (i.e. before final approval).

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Constitution of Pakistan 1973, articles 84-85

Shakil Ahmad, advocate, Supreme Court, Peshawar

41b: In practice, citizens provide input at budget hearings.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Saeed Baig, advocate, Supreme Court

Ismail Fehmi, advocate, Supreme Court

41c: In practice, citizens can access itemized budget allocations.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Saeed Baig, advocate, Supreme Court

Ismail Fehmi, advocate, Supreme Court

Is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?

42: In law, is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Constitution of Pakistan 1973, article 88

Is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds effective?

43a: In practice, department heads regularly submit reports to this committee.

Score:

100

Comments: Heads of government departments regularly, or when required to, submit account statements to this committee for approval and authentication.

References: Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly

Saeed Baig, advocate, Supreme Court

Ismail Fehmi, advocate, Supreme Court

43b: In practice, the committee acts in a non-partisan manner with members of opposition parties serving on the committee in an equitable fashion.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: The committee is comprised of legislators from both the ruling party (or parties) and opposition parties in a roughly equitable distribution. All members of the committee -- including opposition party members -- are able to fully participate in the activities of the committee and influence the committee\'s work to roughly the same extent as any other member of the committee. <p>50 Score Criteria: The committee is comprised of legislators from both the ruling party (or parties) and opposition parties although the ruling party has a disproportionate share of committee seats. The chairperson of the committee may be overly influential and curb other members\' ability to shape the committee's activities. <p>0 Score Criteria: The committee is dominated by legislators of the ruling party and/or the committee chairperson. Opposition legislators serving on the committee have in practice no way to influence the work of the committee.$

Comments: The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly, which is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds, knows how public funds are spent. The committee includes both ruling party and opposition party legislators, and acts in a fairly non-partisan manner.

References: Saeed Baig, advocate, Supreme Court

Ismail Fehmi, advocate, Supreme Court

43c: In practice, when necessary, this committee initiates independent investigations into financial irregularities.

Score:

100

Comments: The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly, in the lower house of parliament, initiates proceedings into the illegal spending of public funds, but its investigations into financial irregularities are not imposed effectively enough to prosecute offenders.

References: Saeed Baig, advocate, Supreme Court

Ismail Fehmi, advocate, Supreme Court