ISLAMABAD - Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a bid to resume its role as the country’s premier investigation agency has decided to establish special anti-money laundering and asset tracking units within the agency to probe cases of financial corruption and accumulation of assets beyond known sources.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting at the FIA Headquarters that was chaired by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Nisar during his first ever visit to FIA, after taking the charge as federal minister, was given a detailed briefing about the working of the agency.
Director General FIA Saud Ahmed Mirza gave a detailed briefing to the chair about the structure, functions and performance of FIA.
A senior official of FIA said that anti-money laundering units would work under the Economic Crime Wing of FIA and the decision had been taken after taking into view a number of complaints about the rise in Hundi (Hawala) business. In the past, the government had withdrawn, from FIA, the powers to investigate cases of financial corruption and these were transferred to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) but later through a notification, FIA was gain given these powers again.
The meeting also took a number of other important decisions and decided that besides establishment of anti-money laundering and asset tracking units, Internal Accountability Unit, Anti-electricity Theft cell and Immigration Vigilance Unit are also being established to enhance the role of FIA as the key investigation agency of the federal government.
The meeting also decided to raise a special elite squad of FIA to help its fight against crime and corruption.
Ch Nisar in the meeting indicated to purge the FIA of all corrupt and inefficient officials. The minister also decided to repatriate all those deputationists, brought in FIA on political basis, to their parent departments and to strengthen accountability at all levels. Recently, Islamabad High Court (IHC) has also repatriated more than 40 FIA officials to their parent departments who were appointed in the previous PPP regime while violating rules and regulations.
The minister said that he himself would monitor the performance of FIA on monthly basis, says an official statement of the Ministry of Interior issued here on Friday evening.
The minister said that he wanted to make FIA as a beacon of hope and a catalyst in dispensation of justice to people of Pakistan, further says the statement.
He added the FIA needed to transform itself into a people friendly organisation, which not only should enjoy the confidence of people of Pakistan but also through its commitment and performance should become a pride of Pakistan. The FIA needs to come out of notorious past syndrome and immediately start functioning as the premier investigating agency of the country, he stressed.
The chair resolved that he wanted to revamp FIA by replacing inefficient and corrupt officers with those having integrity and clean track record. He said that not a single corrupt element would be tolerated in FIA anymore.
The chair directed that there would be zero tolerance for illegal immigrants because they bring bad name to Pakistan. Strict action should also be taken against those elements that organize and finance the business of illegal immigration.
Secretary Interior, DG FIA and other senior officers of FIA participated in the meeting.