ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday reprimanded the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on the ongoing investigation into the Rs22 billion embezzlement in Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and ordered the agency to present the service record of the investigation officer in the court.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry comprising Justice Sair Ali and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday was hearing the suo motu case. Federal Secretary for Industries and Production Tariq Shafi and FIA’s investigation officer, Moazzam Jan, appeared before the court.
The ministry sent a report to the FIA implicating former chairman PSM Moeen Aftab, the secretary informed the bench.
“According to the Auditor General’s report, Rs39 billion were embezzled from PSM. It faced losses of Rs48 billion from December 2008 to 2010,” Barrister Zafarullah informed the bench. The court had taken suo motu notice of the Rs22 billion misappropriation in PSM.
“You should inform your department that you are not capable of investigating this case because you cannot retrieve money from influential people,” the chief justice remarked, scolding the official. “Why don’t you investigate the Abbas Group? Are you afraid of them?” the Chief Justice enquired.
“The FIA is not investigating this case as it should. Three investigation officers have been changed till date but nobody is arresting the real culprits. Corruption is at its peak in the country but we will return the looted money to the national exchequer,” the chief justice observed. “The director general of FIA is on contract.”
“The FIA should be christened the Federal Agency for Protection of Crime,” Justice Ramday remarked, expressing his displeasure. “The ministry of industries and production is apparently taking little notice of the court’s directives.” He directed the secretary to submit a report at the next hearing. The case has been adjourned till February 1.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2011.
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