By IRNA,
Islamabad : A Senate committee summoned former prime minister Shaukat Aziz to appear before it on August 23 to explain alleged embezzlement of funds in a government-run program.
The three-member sub-committee of the Senate on Social Welfare decided that Shaukat Aziz, who was also finance minister, must explain the irregularities pinpointed in a committee report.
The committee also summoned two former social welfare and special education ministers, Dr. Attiya Inayatullah and Zobaida Jalal as well as senior officials.
Sub-committee chairman Senator Enver Baig, talking to reporters, said “massive misappropriation” of funds had taken place in a project meant for welfare of the poor school-going girls.
“Those responsible will be dealt with under the law,” the senator said.
The meeting was informed that a project known as ‘Tawana Pakistan’ was launched by the Social Welfare and Special Education Ministry in 2002 to provide cooked meal daily to 530,000 girl students of 5300 primary schools at a cost of 36 million rupees.
The objective was to improve education and health of rural girls in the far flung areas of the country. But the money was misused, the committee was told.