Hajj scandal: SC dissatisfied over FIA’s progress

Triangular nexus established between Hamid Saeed Kazmi, former DG Haj operations Rao Shakeel Ahmad and Ahmad Faiz.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Thursday once again expressed dissatisfaction over the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) progress in nailing proclaimed offenders for corruption in Hajj arrangements and directed it to present a comprehensive report at the next hearing.

A triangular nexus has been established between former minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi, former DG Haj operations Rao Shakeel Ahmad and Ahmad Faiz, the latter is a Pakistani national employed by the religious affairs ministry for hiring accommodation for pilgrims, he deprived the national exchequer of Rs200 million, Investigation officer Javed Shah Bukhari informed the court.

Additional Director General (ADG) FIA, Javed Bukhari told the court that Ahmad Faiz is still absconding and the FIA team has been directed not to return from Saudi Arabia till his arrest.

A special bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the case. Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Raja Fayyaz, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday were the other members on the bench.

According to Zain Sukhera’s statement which the ADG presented to the bench, he has admitted that Abdul Qadir Gilani, the prime minister’s son, is a close friend, who financed his visits to Saudi Arabia. But Sukhera claimed he is innocent of corruption in the Hajj debacle.

“Except for Kazmi’s foreign currency accounts, other assets have not been scrutinised,” Justice Ramday remarked. Action will be taken as soon as investigation into the matter is complete, Bukhari assured the bench. He also mentioned that Minister of State Shagufta Jumani was being scrutinised for her role in the scam.

Meanwhile the court heard the cases of contractual employees. There are nine senior bureaucrats working on contract, the Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq informed the bench. The chief justice inquired why officers who are next in line are not promoted instead of re-employing retired bureaucrats.

“Employment on contract is not only a violation of the Civil Servants Act, it deprives other officers of their right to promotion,” the Chief Justice observed. The court ordered the government to review contractual appointment of officers and requested a list of police officials who have been made ‘Officer on Special Duty’.

The names of the officers on contract are DG FIA Waseem Ahmad, IG Sind Salahuddin Khattak, Tariq Jameel, Major (Retd) Khurram Gulzar, Nadir Hussain Khosa, Din Muhammad Baloch, Lt Col Retired Farman Ali, Mian Akhtar Hayat and Asghar Muhammad.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.