Crackdown on graft: Dozens of FIA, police officials under the radar
Chaudhry Nisar says disciplinary action will be taken against a total of 62 officials.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar. PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
A number of officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Islamabad Capital Police are facing disciplinary action and may be sacked for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices, according to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
“In view of the present law and order situation, the ministry has started purging the FIA and Islamabad police of corrupt elements,” he said in a recent interaction with media persons.
“We are in a state of war and cannot afford to show any laxity,” he added. A total of 62 FIA men – from constable to additional director –have been identified as corrupt.
“Fourteen of them have been removed from the FIA through repatriation, dismissal or compulsory retirement and inquiries are under way against 48 others,” he said, adding that those facing inquiry would not be given any important assignment till finalisation of the inquiry.
Nisar also confessed that key information is sometime leaked to ‘wanted groups’ from within. “But now we are taking strict action against such officials,” he said.
FIA Director General Saud Mirza has also been quoted as saying that the institution would be purged of corrupt elements.
“To achieve this objective, an Internal Accountability Cell (IAC) has already been established under the supervision of a Grade-19 officer. The IAC will investigate all the cases of corruption and take strict action against those who are found involved in corrupt practices,” he added.
The FIA and Islamabad police – directly working under the interior ministry – are often charged with assisting groups involved in human trafficking. One such instance is that of FIA Faisalabad region’s sub inspector Ajmal Hussain — who is currently facing a case in the Islamabad High Court, for not arresting influential criminals, who trafficked a teenage girl, Z*, to Dubai for prostitution.
According to the victim’s family, the FIA official pressurised them for settlement with traffickers.
These corrupt officials of the FIA were enjoying their assignments at lucrative posts like in the Anti-Human Smuggling Cell (AHSC) and immigration office at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA), Islamabad for years and each of them was a known source of income for their seniors.
The list also includes Rizwan Aslam, a Grade-16 official, who is accused of damaging facts related to Rs44 billion Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) scam to protect the main accused, Zafar Gondal.
After his credibility was called into question, Rizwan Aslam – who hails from Zafar Gondal’s hometown Mandi Bahauddin – was removed from the EOBI investigations and transferred to Quetta.
The FIA officials who are transferred due to allegations of corruption include Deputy Director Sajid Akram who was moved from the AHTC to the zonal office Islamabad. Assistant Director Aslam Zeb was transferred from the FIA immigration Peshawar airport to the C&I cell FIA headquarters, Islamabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2014.
A number of officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Islamabad Capital Police are facing disciplinary action and may be sacked for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices, according to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
“In view of the present law and order situation, the ministry has started purging the FIA and Islamabad police of corrupt elements,” he said in a recent interaction with media persons.
“We are in a state of war and cannot afford to show any laxity,” he added. A total of 62 FIA men – from constable to additional director –have been identified as corrupt.
“Fourteen of them have been removed from the FIA through repatriation, dismissal or compulsory retirement and inquiries are under way against 48 others,” he said, adding that those facing inquiry would not be given any important assignment till finalisation of the inquiry.
Nisar also confessed that key information is sometime leaked to ‘wanted groups’ from within. “But now we are taking strict action against such officials,” he said.
FIA Director General Saud Mirza has also been quoted as saying that the institution would be purged of corrupt elements.
“To achieve this objective, an Internal Accountability Cell (IAC) has already been established under the supervision of a Grade-19 officer. The IAC will investigate all the cases of corruption and take strict action against those who are found involved in corrupt practices,” he added.
The FIA and Islamabad police – directly working under the interior ministry – are often charged with assisting groups involved in human trafficking. One such instance is that of FIA Faisalabad region’s sub inspector Ajmal Hussain — who is currently facing a case in the Islamabad High Court, for not arresting influential criminals, who trafficked a teenage girl, Z*, to Dubai for prostitution.
According to the victim’s family, the FIA official pressurised them for settlement with traffickers.
These corrupt officials of the FIA were enjoying their assignments at lucrative posts like in the Anti-Human Smuggling Cell (AHSC) and immigration office at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA), Islamabad for years and each of them was a known source of income for their seniors.
The list also includes Rizwan Aslam, a Grade-16 official, who is accused of damaging facts related to Rs44 billion Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) scam to protect the main accused, Zafar Gondal.
After his credibility was called into question, Rizwan Aslam – who hails from Zafar Gondal’s hometown Mandi Bahauddin – was removed from the EOBI investigations and transferred to Quetta.
The FIA officials who are transferred due to allegations of corruption include Deputy Director Sajid Akram who was moved from the AHTC to the zonal office Islamabad. Assistant Director Aslam Zeb was transferred from the FIA immigration Peshawar airport to the C&I cell FIA headquarters, Islamabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2014.