FIA unable to secure human smuggler’s remand

ISLAMABAD:

Weak pleading on the part of an investigation officer ruined an FIA team’s efforts to secure physical remand of a main accused in a human smuggling case.

Pervaiz was allegedly involved in the smuggling of two Uzbek girls and his physical remand was essential for interrogation and making headway in the case. However, the Investigation officer did not press hard for the remand of the accused – a fact which the court also mentioned in it remarks, sources disclosed.

The accused was arrested last Monday after rejection of his interim bail by another court.

Reliable sources informed the Express Investigation Cell that the FIA’s Anti Human Smuggling Cell had registered a case against Pervaiz, when two Uzbek girls namely Victoria and Nadara disclosed that they were brought to Pakistan by the accused on the assurance a respectful job of $1,000 per month.

The girls were later forced into the flesh trade.  Earlier, the FIA on February 17 had arrested the girls – along with 12 other foreigners –during surprise raids at different posh areas of the federal capital.

The raid was conducted to search the two Uzbek girls , as they had escaped from Islamabad airport without immigration  some three months back  on January 30. Later on, these girls were released by the court on bail.

However, after bail the girls took refuge in their embassy. Later, the court of senior civil judge in Islamabad ordered the FIA to deport the girls to their country.

The FIA investigation team, however, included in the case the name of Pervaiz, who had obtained interim  bail from the court to avoid arrest.

Pervaiz was arrested by the FIA team, when his bail before arrest was cancelled by the court of Islamabad on the objection of the FIA legal team on Monday.

At that time, the FIA director Islamabad Zone Inam Ghani had reportedly termed it a great breakthrough and voiced hope that through interrogation the FIA would be able to know how he brought the girl to Pakistan.

On Tuesday, the accused appeared before a senior civil judge in Islamabad to obtain his physical remand. But the desire of the FIA officials could not be fulfilled as the court sent the accused on judicial remand to jail instead of granting physical remand because of weak pleading of the Investigation officer, sources informed.

Surprisingly, when contacted on Wednesday the FIA director Islamabad Zone Inam Ghani said he was not ready to accept there was any fault or negligence on the part of the investigation officer.

However, later on Thursday, Ghani admitted the remarks of the court on the file regarding the half hearted effort of the investigation officer. But he said that the bail plea of the accused had been turned down by the court on Thursday due to vigorous resistance by the FIA legal team.

“The accused is still in jail due to said efforts,” he said, adding that the investigation of the case would be completed on merit.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2014.