Chaudhry Nisar. PHOTO: FILE
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday threatened to shut down the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) if its officials did not catch the big fish involved in mega scandals within 90 days.
While issuing a warning to key Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials who called on him on Thursday, the interior minister asked them why had they allowed senior personnel implicated in financial irregularities to roam about freely. The FIA has to deliver, he insisted and said: “It’s time to perform on a now or never basis — the corrupt whether they are politicians or ordinary men, deserve no mercy.”
Hundreds of absconders wanted by the FIA have eluded capture for years. FIA officials admitted while briefing the minister at the ministry of interior in Islamabad. FIA senior most officers, who are also key investigators in all high profile cases, informed the minister that a very few prosecutors and judges are hearing more than 11 cases and there are 441 cases being pleaded in several courts across the country.
To purge the agency of corrupt officials, Minister of Interior instructed FIA Director General Akbar Hoti to get rid of 64 officers from the FIA. Ministry of Interior instructed FIA to remove these officials from services but neither have the officers been suspended nor have they been sent back to their parent department, one of the officials said. “I want FIA to be seen as a symbol of fear for criminals and ray of hope for the oppressed,” Nisar said, who was informed that there were around 800 vacancies in several departments.
“Kick out dishonest officers from the FIA,” Nisar asked DG FIA, who will also present a list of much-needed equipment and highlight financial problems to the ministry of interior. Interior Secretary Shahid Khan will look into issues that the investigation agency is currently facing.
FIA officials, who moaned about the lack of both funds and manpower, also revealed that around 1, 200 absconders wanted by the FIA in various high profile cases were arrested in the previous 19 months. This number is twice as high as compared to the number arrested in the complete tenure (2008-2013) of the previous government, he claimed.
POOR PROGRESS IN KEY CORRUPTION CASES
Benazir Bhutto’s Murder Case
The case, which was a litmus test for the agency, seems to have reached a dead end. There seems to be no decisive progress in this case unfortunately, an official said. Countless reasons were given and several legal complications had blocked progress in this case, as disclosed by the senior officials of FIA engaged in this case.
Trading Development Authority
The interior minister was told that 44 fugitives were roaming about freely while 66 persons were arrested in this case involving embezzlement worth Rs419 million. The FIA have thus far recovered Rs235 million.
Employees Old Age Benefits Institute scam
The agency recovered Rs694 million in this Employees Old age Benefits Institute (EOBI) financial scam worth billions, according to the briefing given to the interior minister. Only one accused has been put in jail. The investigation process is moving at a snail’s pace, investigators revealed.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board Scam
FIA officials informed the ministry of interior that the absconder Asif Hashmi, a key accused in Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), is seeking pre-bail arrest while sitting in the United Kingdom. “This is a unique case where an absconder is seeking bail,” FIA additional director general Khalid Qureshi observed.
Breach of Convicted Prisoners Exchange Treaties
Regarding the development into the case of sending convicted prisoners from Bangkok to Pakistan, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigators said they have issued summons to deputy high commissioner, councillor and accountant in Pakistan Embassy in Thailand.
Hajj scam
In the Hajj scam, FIA officials revealed that there was no actual headway in the case of Rao Shakeel. So the case is still under investigation.
New airport scam
FIA officials informed the interior minister that the investigation into the New Benazir Bhutto International Airport Scam is going on and it appears that there are several big fish involved in this case. The pace of investigation is slow due to multiple legal hurdles.
Kickbacks feared in Boeing-777 PIA jets
Regarding the case of the Boeing-777 scam in the national carrier, officials mentioned the names of various senior personnel, including Ch Ahmed Mukhtar and Lt General (retd) Naeem Khalid. The case involved $8.5 million mismanagement as there were serious violations committed by higher-ups who did not observe rules.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2015.
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