Senate panel summons FIA director-general

FIA DG summoned to inform of latest progress of probe into Rs5 billion scam of National Insurance Company Limited.

ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Wednesday summoned director-general Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the interior secretary to appear in its meeting on Thursday to inform the panel about the latest progress in terms of the probe into the over Rs5 billion scam of the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL).

The Senate standing committee on commerce held a meeting with Chairperson Illyas Bilour in the chair and expressed serious reservations over the unsatisfactory response from the commerce ministry on its recommendations.

The committee summoned Interior Secretary Qamer Zaman Chaudhry and questioned why, as a representative of the ministry, he did not oppose the idea of purchasing cheap property at a much higher price?

The committee also summoned Director General FIA Wasim Ahmed to brief the panel on the inquiry.

Senator Haroon Khan said that the government was following a ‘pick and choose’ policy in arresting the real culprits. Members lamented that the main culprits, including former NICL chairman Ayaz Khan, were still free. Bilour believed Ayaz Khan Niazi might have fled to Dubai.

Some panel members alleged that some influential persons were trying to manipulate the FIA inquiry process.

Senator Seemen Siddiqui observed that the former chairperson of the NICL had purchased agriculture land in Korangi at the same rate as commercial land. Senators Abdul Razzaq said that transactions were made with mutual understanding between the sellers and buyers, hence both parties should be held responsible.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2010.