Ugly raid: No apology coming, say currency dealers
Plainclothes FIA men were attacked.
KARACHI:
The Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan has refused to apologise for an incident in which the security guards of one of its top members stopped FIA officials from conducting a raid against suspected money launderers.
The association’s office bearers met FIA Director Muazzam Jah on Tuesday to settle the bizarre dispute which erupted on Monday at the outlet of Malik Bostan’s Pakistan Exchange at Nursery, leading to panic in the area when the shooting began.
“The security guards mistook the FIA men for robbers,” clarified Naeemuddin, a spokesman for the association. “We will make sure that such an incident does not recur.” The problem was that the FIA officials were said to be in plainclothes.
The association will issue a press statement on Wednesday (today), he said. “We do condemn everything that has happened. But we will not apologise.”
FIA men entered the branch of Bostan’s exchange at Nursery on Shahrah-e-Faisal to gather information on illegal off-the-book transactions called hundi.
The guards posted at the branch took the FIA men into custody, beat them and refused to let them go for hours despite the fact they had proven their identity. The guards even fired shots in the air outside the branch.
According to officials who attended the meeting, FIA Director Jah has made it clear that the agency will continue to carry out raids against illegal money transactions, which can also be used to finance terrorists.
“Malik Bostan should come before media to apologise for what has happened. Until then, the FIA will not hold talks with the exchange companies association,” the official quoted Jah as saying.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2012.
The Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan has refused to apologise for an incident in which the security guards of one of its top members stopped FIA officials from conducting a raid against suspected money launderers.
The association’s office bearers met FIA Director Muazzam Jah on Tuesday to settle the bizarre dispute which erupted on Monday at the outlet of Malik Bostan’s Pakistan Exchange at Nursery, leading to panic in the area when the shooting began.
“The security guards mistook the FIA men for robbers,” clarified Naeemuddin, a spokesman for the association. “We will make sure that such an incident does not recur.” The problem was that the FIA officials were said to be in plainclothes.
The association will issue a press statement on Wednesday (today), he said. “We do condemn everything that has happened. But we will not apologise.”
FIA men entered the branch of Bostan’s exchange at Nursery on Shahrah-e-Faisal to gather information on illegal off-the-book transactions called hundi.
The guards posted at the branch took the FIA men into custody, beat them and refused to let them go for hours despite the fact they had proven their identity. The guards even fired shots in the air outside the branch.
According to officials who attended the meeting, FIA Director Jah has made it clear that the agency will continue to carry out raids against illegal money transactions, which can also be used to finance terrorists.
“Malik Bostan should come before media to apologise for what has happened. Until then, the FIA will not hold talks with the exchange companies association,” the official quoted Jah as saying.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2012.