FIA gropes in the dark in high profile cases

ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has apparently been pursuing key financial scams on ‘stop-and-go pattern’ since 2007-08 but in many high profile cases, it has to put its investigation either on the back burner or these cases have to hit roadblocks.

There's a long list of unsolved and unproved cases, official data Geo News gathered where senior officials called spade a spade that the investigators might not be able to pursue many key cases owning to many challenges the FIA faces.

The FIA has to recover a sum of estimated Rs201 billion in 50 key financial scams, revealed the statistics. FIA is currently handling 11, 260 inquiries and 4,386 cases are in courts with only 32 prosecutors, official figures revealed. It has only 18 investigation officers (IOs) to pursue over 12,339 complaints filed under new cyber laws.

The agency’s performance further marred after corruption inquiries were started against 190 FIA staffers including 34 officers. Over 1,114 posts go vacant in various wings of FIA which cast doubt on the performance.

Some 7,148 officials are working in the FIA while some 8,262 posts were sanctioned by the interior ministry. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry admitted the facts but argued that "since they (Talal & Ahsan Iqbal) took over the ministry, both tried to inject new energy into FIA. We pledged to overhaul the agency.” He also hoped courts would also pursue FIA’s cases vigorously.

Progress into key cases:

Dubai Properties/Foreign Accounts Case:

Probe period: Almost two and a half years; key accused; more than 7,000 Pakistani nationals accused of violating national laws. Current status: poor policy and legal hurdles put investigation on the back burner. Estimated amount involved: Not determined yet.

Gist of investigation: FIA investigators started probing an investment of estimated Rs1.1 trillion in Dubai’s real estate by Pakistanis in past one and a half years. Investigation apparently died its natural death even though FIA in its way forward, informed the Supreme Court (SC) that ‘if FIA determines that the foreign assets/accounts have been acquired using unlawful sources and money has been taken out of country through unlawful means. On Feb 9, 2018, DG FIA directed Director Sindh to initiate inquiries against Pakistani nationals against those who did not disclose their Dubai properties on merit.

Khanani and Kalia case: probe period: almost 10 years; total amount involved: Rs103 billion; key accused: Altaf Khanani, Munaf Khanani, etc; current status: Legal hurdles and changes in FIA teams put investigation on snail pace. Gist of investigation: FIA kicked off probe into this case where investigators claimed to retrieve the data of money laundered abroad from Pakistan to the tune of Rs103 billion from the main servers of Khanani & Kalia International. In November of 2015, interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan took notice of Altaf Khanani’s arrest in the United States and ordered a re-inquiry into the whole case. No further developments have been reported on that front.

Axact fake degrees case: period: around 3 years; key accused: Shoaib A Sheikh, etc; estimated amount involved: Rs1 billion; current status: investigation is running on ‘stop-and-go pattern’ due to various interventions in this case. Gist of investigation: the SC directed courts to decide Axact cases within one month two months ago. Axact allegedly took money from at least 215,000 people in 197 countries. The SC also ordered the trial court – Karachi South – to decide the matter within two months.

Asghar Khan case: period: almost six years; estimated amount involved: Rs140 million; key accused: ex-chief of army staff Aslam Baig, ex DG ISI Asad Durrani, etc; current Status: non-cooperation of some accused persons has almost stalled the investigation. Gist of investigation: FIA panel changed numerous times after a three-member bench of SC announced its verdict back in October 2012 directing FIA to start probe against the then Chief of Army Staff General Aslam Baig, DG ISI Asad Durrani, etc. The FIA investigators also recorded statement of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2015 relating to distribution of Rs140 million among components of an anti-PPP alliance of parties prior to the 1990 elections. General Baig requested the court to review its judgment.

Musharraf treason case; period: around six years; key accused: General (R) Pervez Musharraf; current status: after nine months long break the special court again takes up treason case against former president General (R) Pervez Musharraf. Gist of investigation: the court ordered Pervez Musharraf’s arrest and confiscation of his properties, seeking mutual legal assistance agreement with the UAE. PML-N government started treason trial against Pervez Musharraf, by appointing an FIA committee to investigate him for subverting the constitution.

Benazir Bhutto’s murder case; period: almost 11 years; key accused: General (R) Pervez Musharraf; current status: investigation goes with snail’s pace. FIA seeks more time from ATC to collect more evidence. Gist of investigation: after about a decade of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, investigators have yet to conclude their investigation to complete the trial proceedings against seven suspects in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. A key component of the murder case related to Musharraf remains inconclusive since he left the country last year and has been declared an absconder.

Kickbacks in PIA Boeing-777 jets; period: almost 3 years; estimated amount involved: Rs1 billion; key accused: ex-defence minister Ch Ahmed Mukhtar and Lt General (R) Naeem Khalid; current status: investigation is dormant. gist of investigation: former defence minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Lt General (R) Naeem Khalid and many others in case of the Boeing-777 scam in the national carrier involving $8.5 million mismanagement. FIA started investigation into this case but no headway yet.

Trading Development Authority Pakistan (TDAP) case; period: six years; estimated amount involved: Rs7 billion; key accused: ex-PM Yusuf Raza Gilani; current status: many accused are still fugitive, pending recoveries of billions of rupees and legal hurdles created complication in this case. Gist of investigation: Anti-corruption court indicted former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and 25 others last month. Around 24 fugitives were roaming about freely while 86 persons were arrested in this case.

Employees Old Age Benefits Institute scam; period: five years; estimated amount involved: Rs40 billion; key accused: ex-EOBI chairman Zafar Gondal; current status: case goes on at a snail’s pace due to unavailability of certain record. Gist of investigation: The agency probed irregularities in the purchase of different properties in various parts of the country and investment of around Rs40 billion. Following a suo moto notice in this EOBI scam, FIA was directed to probe the case in 2013.

MQM money laundering/Imran Farooq murder case; period: almost 6-8 years; key accused: Altaf Hussain, etc; estimated amount involved: not determined yet; current status: investigation goes on a snail’s pace. Gist of investigation: Pakistan started investigation into alleged money laundering issue of MQM London chief Altaf Hussain years back. But FIA could not make headway into murder of MQM’s London leader Imran Farooq case so far.

New Islamabad airport scam; period: almost seven years; current status: investigating is dormant; estimated amount involved: Rs6 billion; progress in investigation: the investigators started probe into Rs6b airport contract where the CAA is accused of awarding the contract worth Rs6 billion to a firm on the instructions of a former aide to prime minister on aviation at 232 percent higher rates.

Islamabad’s Grand Hyatt Hotel; period: around seven years; estimated amount involved: Rs25 billion; key accused: Abdul Hafeez Sheikh of Bismillah group, etc; current status: Investigation is dormant. Progress in investigation: the then interior minister Chaudhry Nisar ordered probe into this case. But no headway is in sight to resolve this issue.