FIA claims to have deposited over Rs7b in exchequer

Annual report says crime watchdog registered 6,580 cases and arrested 14,911 suspects

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has claimed in its annual report that the crime watchdog recovered over Rs7 billion in various financial fraud cases and deposited the amount into the national exchequer.

According to the report, the agency received 13,9177 complaints in 2022 and initiated 24,918 inquiries, 6,580 cases, and arrested 14,911 accused.

The report stated that around 4,881 cases were thoroughly investigated and brought before trial courts, while in 3,003 cases, the defendants received sentences.

The report also asserted that FIA anti-corruption wing handed over 3,574 acres of property valued at Rs25 billion to the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) across the country.

“Rs70 million rent of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) was also collected and handed over.”

Similarly, in 2022, the Financial Crime Wing also curbed money laundering, hawala hundi, and other forms of illegal trade, the report stated and added that a special AML, CFT Directorate was also formed for effective monitoring of anti-money laundering operations.

It also claimed that the Financial Crime Wing was crucial in getting Pakistan off the FATF's ‘Grey List’.

The Immigration Wing continued to effectively combat human trafficking in their crackdown in 2022, arresting 11,741 suspects, the report said.

The defendants were found guilty in 2,602 cases.

The report further stated that 16.7 million passengers were screened by FIA Immigration officials in 2022 alone.

The crime watchdog said special operations were carried out throughout the country as part of the operation against human traffickers and smugglers and 1,263 human traffickers were apprehended.

The annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report of the US State Department in 2022 gave Pakistan credit for its efforts. Pakistan's status was upgraded from the Tier-2 watch list to Tier-2 in the TIP report, the agency stated and added that the Cyber Crime Wing detained 1,700 suspects in 2022.

“798 people were arrested in connection with financial fraud charges, 67 in connection with cases involving child pornography, and 81 in connection with crimes involving blasphemy.”

Similarly, 63 hate speech cases were reported and 56 suspects were arrested.

Additionally, 76 people were arrested, from whom 14,615 silicone thumbs and 16,211 fake active SIM cards were confiscated. Also, 50 Biometric Verification System (BVS) devices were recovered from their possession.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2023.