Restraining federal agencies: Sindh asks centre to stop encroaching on its domain

Qaim Ali Shah complains to the prime minister about ‘high-handedness’ of the Federal Investigation Agency


Hafeez Tunio August 20, 2015
PM Nawaz Sharif presiding over a meeting at Governor House, Karachi on August 20. PHOTO: PPI

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Thursday urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to restrain federal agencies from encroaching on subjects which are exclusively the province's domain.

While addressing a law and order meeting at the Governor House, Karachi on Thursday, which was attended by the prime minister and the federal interior minister, Shah said "every institution must work within its domain and mandate otherwise complications, serious problems and mistrust take place."

Sindh's chief minister complained about the ‘high-handedness’ of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB), claiming that the agencies had no jurisdiction in provincial matters.

Shah's outburst comes after the FIA and the NAB had in recent months started investigations into several corruption cases with the former probing land grabbing and the latter investigation corrupt officials.

Read: Retaining power: FIA empowerment is an attack on provincial autonomy: CM

"Sindh is under attack. Seventy per cent of out bureaucracy has almost stopped working. Performance of government machinery has been affected badly because of frequent raids by FIA and NAB,” Shah complained.

Responding to the complaints, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar assured Shah that he would talk to the FIA. "They (FIA) would take Chief Secretary Sindh into confidence before taking any inquiry in hand, if necessary."

However, Nisar made no promises on NAB -- noting that the anti-corruption body did not fall under his domain. On this Shah said that he may then have to take this case to the court.

Read: Apex Committee meeting: ‘Crackdown on financers, abettors of terrorists to begin soon’

Later, the law enforcement agencies briefed the prime minister about the current statistics of the crimes in the city.

The meeting was told that after targeted operation, peace has returned to the city. During Eidul Fitr, around Rs70 billion sell was recorded which was itself a record.

On August 14, over Rs5 billion sell of flags, buntings and such other items was recorded. Apart from it over 0.5 million people visited the mausoleum of the Quaid-e-Azam.

In 2013, some 1524 cases of extortion were reported. In 2014 this crime came down to 899 and in 2015 it has been recorded at 29 only.

Similarly, there were 174 cases of kidnapping for ransom in 2013, 115 cases and 2015 only 13 cases have been reported.

The prime minister was also informed that ghost employees had been removed from SITE Ltd by installing biometric system for recording attendance. This action has saved Rs14.5 million of the government.

The chief minister told the prime minister that he was personally monitoring investigation of important cases.

"I have approved appointment of prosecutors and strictly posted investigation officers on merit. I have also approved additional funds for cost of investigation," he said and added that the conviction rate would improve shortly.

The interior minister lauded the efforts and hard work by the chief minister which produced extra-ordinary results.

Nawaz expressed his satisfaction on the performance of the law enforcing agencies and directed the interior minister to work out comprehensive plan to launch deweaponisation campaign all over Pakistan.

Nawaz hosts tea for Parsis

Later, the prime minister hosted tea for members of Karachi's Parsi community.

The Parsi community had recently celebrated Navroze.

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