FIA can now probe money-laundering from Sindh, Punjab

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sindh and Punjab police that now enables the agency to take over money laundering cases being investigated in the two provinces, Geo News reported.

According to the MoU, the police can transfer their cases to the FIA under the anti-money laundering act, while they will also investigate the cases themselves for criminal offences. The directors of the FIA and additional IGs will remain in touch, the MoU said, adding that DG FIA and IG Sindh and Punjab will also remain in touch. According to officials, earlier, the FIA was only able to investigate cases under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Police need to invoke the anti-money laundering act in several cases, they said. "Counter Terrorism Department registers cases under money laundering provisions," they added.