Hajj scam case: No probe report till lead investigator reappointed

Investigation report cannot be submitted until Hussain Asghar is reappointed as chief investigation officer: FIA.

RAWALPINDI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed a trial court hearing the Hajj corruption case that the final investigation report cannot be submitted until Hussain Asghar is reappointed as the chief investigation officer of the case.

Assistant Director Legal FIA Khalild Naeem informed the court that the Supreme Court had directed the federal government to appoint Asghar as the chief investigator of the case, yet no appointment had been made so far. In this regard, Special Judge Central FIA Syed Ikhlaq Ahmed put off the hearing till October 5.

Asghar, who is currently serving as Inspector General Police Gilgit-Baltistan, has been caught in the middle of the standoff between the apex court and the government after he was removed as investigation officer of the million rupee scam.

The government refused to relinquish the services of Asghar as IGP G-B and send him back to the agency to resume the investigation of the case ‘due to the security situation in G-B’.

Kazmi speaks to media

Main accused in the scam and former religious affairs minister Hamid Syed Kazmi spoke to the media after the hearing,saying the Saudi prince’s letter, received by the chief justice was also addressed to him. In his letter, the prince accused then ministry of religious affairs secretary for not carrying out sufficient arrangements for the pilgrims.

Interestingly, Kazmi added, the investigators cited the secretary as one of their witnesses against him.

The former minister added that the FIA succeeded in finding foreign currency in one of his bank accounts but failed to locate the sender and the source of the income.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd,  2011.