ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed the FIA to complete inquiry into mega financial scams within 90 days and bringing the corrupts to justice.
Presiding over a meeting of the FIA here on Thursday, Chaudhry Nisar said the FIA should be a symbol of terror for thieves and of justice for the common citizens. He said he would ask the Cabinet that FIA should also be given share from recovered money as was being done in the NAB and traffic police department.
The Minister took strong exception to posting of 64 corrupt FIA officers at important positions and changing of inquiry officers in important cases without his permission. He directed the Director General FIA and Interior Ministry to move cases against the corrupt officers in the Supreme Court. He made it clear that he was ready to pay the salary of the corrupt at their homes but would not take them back in FIA.
He regretted that small thieves were being arrested but no one was laying hands on the big fish. He warned that if the people did not get any benefit from the FIA it would suggest to the government to wind it up. He said FIA is not under any political influence and should work as a state institution.
Nisar said FIA’s performance about EOBI scandal was disappointing. He said it was the money of poor labourers which has been plundered in a broad day light and all the accused are getting bails.
During the briefing, the Minister was told that FIA made recoveries of Rs 6 billion from the corrupt during the first year of the present government as against mere Rs four crore during the last year of PPP. The FIA arrested 1200 proclaimed offenders in 15 months of the government and 11500 cases of FIA are in courts.
The Minister was also told about progress in mega scam cases including EOBI, bullet proof vehicles, Ibrahim Kukoo, Trade and Development Authority, PEMRA, Sihala Chemical Complex, PIA aircraft purchase and others.
Nisar directed the FIA to complete the investigation in all these cases within 90 days. He said he wanted the FIA officers and staff perform their duties honestly and dedication and directed for strengthening the legal wing of the agency.
The officials told the meeting that there was corruption of Rs 2.3 billion in EOBI of which Rs 69.45 crore have been recovered. It was further informed that with the exception of Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, MNA all the accused have been arrested. Seven of them have been released on bail and one is in jail.
FIA Punjab said that there was misappropriation of Rs 6.26 billion in EOBI Punjab of which Rs 1.26 billion recoveries have been made. Chairman EOBI Zafar Gondal is in jail while six accused have been released on bail.
The Minister was surprised over the scandal of import of substandard furnace oil.
INP