SC puts FIA DG under Qureshi’s command

In a move likely to ruffle some feathers, the Supreme Court made the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general (DG) subordinate to Additional DG Zafar Qureshi by including the former in the investigation team of the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) scam, headed by Qureshi, on Tuesday.
Ever since he resumed his duties as FIA additional DG on the apex court’s orders, Qureshi has faced one obstacle after the next in pursuing his line of investigation in the high-profile scam case, in which one of the accused is Moonis Elahi, son of Senior Minister Pervaiz Elahi. During a hearing of the case of Qureshi’s reinstatement, a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani told the FIA chief to associate himself as a team member with Qureshi’s investigation team.
LEAVES CANCELLED: The court also cancelled the leaves of four FIA investigators who were members of Qureshi’s team and told them and the FIA chief to appear in court today (Wednesday) along with a complete record of the investigation conducted so far. The court asked the FIA chief to also submit today (Wednesday) records pertaining to Qureshi joining the office in Lahore. Appearing on notice, Qureshi told the court that the bomb hoax in the FIA Lahore office was created on August 13, whereas the Lahore office assistant director had told him on the evening of August 12 that a bomb might go off in the office.
BOMB HOAX: However, the FIA DG, present in the courtroom, contended that he had no knowledge of the bomb hoax, upon which the court reprimanded him for being an ill-informed chief. The chief justice said the bomb hoax was a cognizable offence under Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code and its punishment was not less than seven years in prison and a fine.
To a court query, Qureshi said he had gone to the office despite the bomb hoax but found it locked from the outside while employees were present inside. Justice Amir Hani Muslim remarked that this was clear interference in the court’s matters. The chief Justice asked the FIA chief whether he had received a clearance certificate from the bomb disposal squad, but he failed to answer. The court asked the FIA chief to inquire whether a case was registered against the assistant director who had spread the wrong information and noted that the FIA chief was duty-bound to get the bomb hoax case registered. The court summoned the FIA Lahore director as well as the assistant director responsible for not cooperating with Qureshi in the investigation process and for the bomb hoax. The court noted that the bomb hoax was a deliberate ploy to stop Qureshi from investigating the case.
Qureshi stated that after being restored by the apex court, he had immediately called a meeting of his team members twice, but no one had turned up. He said when he asked where they were, he was told that his team members were on leave. He said he then wrote a letter to the interior secretary about the matter but received no reply. He also said the Lahore director was not cooperating with him and that the FIA was under pressure.
The chief justice stated that the government should take the accused to task instead of backing them. The court asked the FIA chief to check all the questions raised in the case and the DG assured the court that he would look into the matter and contact the Lahore director.
The court later adjourned further hearing till today (Wednesday).