FIA halts operation against illegal sale of dollars

Has not taken any action against unauthorised sale, purchase of US currency for two months

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has temporary halted action against those allegedly involved in illegal sale and purchase of the US dollars and its hoarding and has not taken any action in this regard in any city of Punjab including Lahore in the past two months.

Due to this lack of action, exchange rate of the US dollar – which has hiked tremendously during the first year of the tenure of incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government – is not reducing.

The FIA sources revealed that the agency had earlier received instructions from the federal government to take action against those involved in illegal selling of dollars, its accumulation and the Hawala Hundi in what was known as a grand operation.

Dozens of people were apprehended and millions of rupees worth foreign currency notes – including US dollars, pounds, Saudi Riyals – were recovered. The FIA had taken action on basis of tipoffs.

However, this operation has apparently been stopped.
The agency has still not collected data in Punjab of money changers and they have not yet been asked for the record of buying and selling of the US dollars.

Sources said there are many areas in Lahore including the Mall road, Hall road, Gulberg, Cavalry Ground and DHA were people are involved in the illegal purchase and sale of dollars under garb of different businesses but the FIA is not taking any action.

However, the FIA Punjab Director General Waqar Abbasie said the operation is only slowed down but not stopped. “As soon as information is received, immediate action is taken,” he told The Express Tribune.