Fighting FIRs with FIRs: CDA officials booked after going ‘by the book’

Case filed against top Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials for stealing tents and belongings of PPP workers.

ISLAMABAD:

A day after registering a case against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers for besieging the CDA building, the Aabpara police on Sunday filed a case against top Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials for stealing tents and belongings of PPP workers. The party workers had set up a protest camp outside the CDA office and were demanding jobs in the civic body.

When contacted, CDA Chairperson Imtiaz Inayat Elahi said the police have no right to file FIR against government servants without prior intimation of the government. He said that the PPP workers had besieged his office for the past three days for acceptance of their “illegal demands” and a case had been registered against them by the Aabpara police.

Elahi said that the PPP staff had blocked entry into the CDA building and were passing derogatory remarks against CDA officials on speakers. He said he cannot accommodate any group in violations of prescribed rules, adding that he has been instructed by the prime minister “to go by the book”.

The PPP staff alleged that CDA officials illegally confiscated luggage, tents and chairs from the protest camp and when they demanded that their possessions be returned, they were harassed by the CDA officials.

Following the complaint by the PPP staff, the police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against CDA Chairperson, Member Finance Saeedur Rehman, Spokesperson Ramzan Sajid, Director Security Razaq Kiyani, Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) Director Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Human Resource Directorate Deputy Director, Safdar Ali Shah and 20 other CDA officials whose identity remains unknown.

Chief Commission Tariq Mahmood Pirzada said he has taken notice of the situation and an emergency meeting has been called to investigate the case.

When contacted, a senior lawyer confirmed that an FIR cannot be lodged against a public servant without prior intimation of Secretary Establishment. “But in this specific case rules were violated due to pressure on the police from high level officials,” he added.

A few police officials, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the FIR was lodged against top CDA officials, including the CDA chairman, under “specific instructions” of DIG Bani Amin. Another police official, defending the decision of his superior officer, said that registration of FIR is “the right of every individual”.

Sources also said that before the FIR was lodged, the DIG received a call from Rizwan Qureshi, a close friend of the President. When contacted, DIG Banni Amin expressed ignorance of the situation and suggested that IG Islamabad should be contacted, who was not available for a comment, despite repeated attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2011.