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.