Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. PHOTO: FILE
The government has decided to set up anti-money laundering cells across the country to check the flow of black money in the national economy and hundi (illegal cash transfers).
According to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s estimates, thousands of Pakistanis are involved in this illegal business and are evading millions of rupees worth of taxes annually.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed the FIA to come up with fresh proposals to activate anti-money laundering laws.
In a meeting with FIA Director General Saud Mirza, the minister said that anti-money laundering units will be established in all parts of the country to check money laundering and hundi.
Of the total 52 FIA stations countrywide, 16 are inoperative due to the shortage of staff, Mirza told the minister. Nisar said FIA officials should treat all complainants with respect.
Revamping FIA
The minister said the government wanted to revamp the FIA by removing controversial officials and bringing in those with integrity and excellent track record. An effective system of reward and punishment would be put in place to boost the morale of law enforcers, he added.
He said the FIA would get more powers to act against corrupt officers. Chaudhry Nisar ordered a merit-based selection and induction procedure to ensure better functioning of the agency. He said no political interference would be tolerated in matters of transfers and postings within the interior ministry.
Regarding hiring of special public prosecutors, Chaudhry Nisar said it should be done in a transparent manner and they should be paid, according to their qualification.
Meeting with NADRA chief
In a separate meeting, National Data Registration Authority (NADRA) Chairman Tariq Malik informed the minister that so far the authority has completed biometric registration of 96% men and 86% women in the country.
Chaudhry Nisar asked the NADRA chief to prepare an electronic voting system before the next general elections.
Malik informed the minister that NADRA was also helping other departments like Zakat and Baitul Maal. He added that work on geographical information system has recently been started in Islamabad and data was being collected at a rapid pace.
Under the direction of the minister, work has also been started on introducing ‘e-tag system’ at the five selected entry and exit points in Islamabad.
The minister was briefed about the three-tier identification system recently launched by NADRA on two main entry and exit points in Swat. Chaudhry Nisar appreciated the system and asked for a proposal for replicating it in Quetta.
The minister was also apprised of the international projects which NADRA is undertaking in Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria and Bangladesh, while bids are being tendered for few projects in Libya, Kuwait, Iraq and Sri Lanka.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (13)
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I guess, we would once Pakistan becomes a British protectorate once again and you guys are doing "Ahojee! Ahojee, Aaho!"
First ask PML-N people to bring their money into Pakistan
@Uza Syed: You guys should be more worried about UK than Pakistan I guess.
Don't forget MQM. May be learn from Scotland Yard.
A good & sincere start. "journey of thousand miles always starts with a single step" - Mao Tse Tung.
Stop all these theatrics here Mr Home Minister. If you are really serious in doing your job well and honestly then get your Mian to volunteer and declare how much he and his closest family including the CM of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif's family has laundered, of course they can get the Finance Minsiter Ishaq Dar to come forward and help them with complete disclosure and praparing the confession document. There is a documentary about their money laundering scam available on YOUTube this was done by BBC and would be help to you if you are interested really. Once you have achieved success here in retrieved the couple of billions from this one source alone, you can move forward with all might and moral authority to knock on other doors. If you can't do this then you should refrain from creating even more un-necessary hardships and harrassment for the common man in the country. You know as well as we all do that the FIA and the rest of such gangs are more than willing to go after the small man and make their lives even more difficult. By the way, if a few workers send some small amounts through Hundi etc. is no big deal and can't be classified as 'Money Laundering' by any stretch of imagination. Money laundering is by definition either an attempt to lanuder monies acquired throu fraudulent means / theft etc. or through criminal means, these small time labourers of Pakistani expats just don't fall in either of these categories and you know it. Folks who are in need of laundering money are those who have power and means to access Sate treasury and transfer the wealth of the nation.
As always just going to make life difficult for the already severely restricted common man, nothing else. The real crooks are going to carry out their business as usual.
can you bring the looted money back to Pakistan?
Hundi ? These are the remittances sent by relatives of thousands of families in middle and lower class in Pakistan. Instead of spending millions to grab these thousands , why not get a dozen and hold the top few accountable which would get national exchequer more then you would get by prosecuting thousands in middle and low class. Simple logic , but then who would bell the cat when the cat is the one holding the bell :)
just to trap the small fish...... Nobody dare to touch the SHARKS!!!!
There is Anti Money Laundering law in Pakistan and time is ripe to have an honest,robust and affective AML unit in the country
Start with those who live in Pakistan but have property in Dubai, UK, France, etc. And that should not exclude you either.
Welcome Ch. Nisar.
It seems that you are thinking in the right direction.
Your efforts must come up with fruitful results and should not only be restricted upto government files.
Your words must turn into actions practically which should have a positive impact on the national economy.