FIA seeks record of uplift work, recruitments in Moonis Elahi’s tenure as minister

KARACHI: Anti-Money Laundering Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Lahore directed the Ministry of Water Resources to provide the record of development, maintenance works, details of funds released, and details of recruitments during the ministership of Chaudhry Moonis Elahi.

Agency’s AML Circle Lahore’s Deputy Director through an official letter also asked the secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources to provide copies of the log book containing records of visitors who met the minster Moonis Elahi during his ministership (July 2021 to April 2022).

FIA’s letter further added that a case is under investigation in the agency against Moonis Elahi on the allegation of money laundering of crime proceeds accumulated through corruption & bribery.

Last year, FIA Lahore registered three cases under section ¾ of Anti-Money Laundering (AML), out of these cases, FIA sought the details in one case of FIR 16/2023.

The agency directed the Ministry of Water Resources to depute an officer, well conversant with the facts to provide the required information and record.

As per the official correspondence copies of which are available with The News, FIA Lahore’s AML circle sought the record of a summary of development and maintenance works whether initiated or completed during the period of Elahi’s ministership period, including a description of the bid tender and bid name, development amount, award date and date of completion of work, details of payment and funds released to the bidder, total funds released and utilized by the Ministry during the same period with the details of heads of expenses, detail of recruitments of all categories (Permanent, daily wage, contractual) made within the Ministry and or within allied departments of the Ministry during the same period of Moonis Elahi and certified copies of the log book containing records of the visitors who met the former minister from July 2021 till April 2022. Following the directions of the FIA, the Ministry of Water Resources approached all four provincial irrigation departments of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and KP to provide the complete details of federal funding development and maintenance works initiated or completed during the period of ministership of Moonis Elahi.

Attempts were made but Moonis Elahi could not be reached for his comments on the issue.