FIA gets power to detain, grill accused for 90 days

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been delegated more power through an amendment in the Protection of Pakistan Act 2014 in order to reduce crimes.
Under this amendment, the agency will have the power to investigate crimes and keep the accused in its custody for 90 days to interrogate them.Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Barrister Zafarullah said that the FIA had already got the power to conduct investigations into different crimes and the agency was also working like the police.
However, he said, the name of the FIA was not included in the names of law enforcement agencies present in the Protection of Pakistan Act. He said the amendment had nothing to do with the letter of the Sindh chief minister in which he had challenged the power of the Rangers.
Under this power, the FIA would be able to make arrests and file cases besides taking action in corruption cases in Sindh departments. A formal notification of the amendment has been issued. Barrister Zafarullah said the purpose of bringing this amendment was to make the ongoing operation against professional criminals in Karachi effective.