Crackdown on money hoarders intensifies

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday intensified its crackdown against dollar hoarding, money laundering, hawala/hundi and illegal speculations regarding devaluation of the rupee, a minister on Monday said 88 persons had been arrested in this regard with a further 10 to be arrested soon.

Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid said the FIA had been given the task to stop the hoarding of dollars in the country and was conducting an investigation on the matter.
Addressing a news conference on Monday, he said that the FIA was tightening its grip on dollar hoarders and has decided to audit five major companies allegedly involved in the practice.

He added that 88 persons had been arrested in this regard with a further 10 to be arrested soon, while FIRs have been registered against 47 individuals. He said that customs should investigate to check if dollars were being sent to Afghanistan illegally as the customs department was not under the Ministry of Interior.

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In Karachi, the FIA said the agency have arrested eight allegedly involved in illegal business of Hawala/Hundi.

According to a spokesman for FIA Sindh, the Commercial Banking Circle of FIA Karachi raided two offices of an exchange company in Saddar and Gulshan area of the megalopolis and seized mobile phones, laptops and documents.

The accused under the guise of the license exchange company were running illegal Hawala/Hundi business and providing the US dollars to the people of Balochistan illegally without any receipts and entries.

The FIA also confiscated Rs7.6 million, foreign currency equivalent to Re3 million and $36,394. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.Meanwhile, speaking about the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan, he said that long-lasting peace in Afghanistan was a prerequisite for stability in the region and the international world.

The interior minister said that Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan because it is in the best interest of both countries as well as the whole region.

He said that things were changing fast in the region and Pakistan being a responsible state would fulfil its responsibility of national security while meeting international expectations as a major player in the region with the objective to strengthen peace.

He stated that all those having more than one passport can surrender their additional passport by the October 30 deadline, which could be extended. He added that the government had reduced the fee for the dual CNIC process while it will also reduce the fee for the dual passport process.

He stated that action had been taken against 136 NADRA officials who were involved in wrongdoing and they will all be put to trial. He said that the borders of Torkham and Chaman had been placed on the biometric system while remaining borders would also be added to the system.