Lethargic FIA: Over 80 high-profile cases are still pending

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by SHAH NAWAZ MOHAL

Country’s foremost investigation agency, FIA is yet to conclude its enquiries of more than 80 cases of illegal appointments, embezzlement, money extortion and illegal allotment of land, discrepancies and misplacement of files involving Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials.

According to documents available with Pakistan Today, in one case alone a total of 45 CDA officials’ alleged of involvement in illegal occupation and possession of land remained pending, although a fact finding inquiry report was forwarded by authority on 24th August 2016. Those involved included a DDG, 13 directors, 9 deputy directors and 7 assistant directors, 4 inspectors, 3 sub-inspectors other staff members. The drive against these officials was initiated during last year and FIA took up the case. However, the agency is yet to conclude its inquiry after 2 years.

The infamous Grand Hyatt hotel and mass irregularities committed by officials of Building Control Section of CDA’s planning wing also awaits conclusion as departmental inquiry initiated by HRD back in year 2012 video case File No. CDA-5(55)HRD-I/2012 has not been concluded till this day.

A departmental inquiry by CDA into recruitments on daily wages basis and verification of educational degrees/certificates/diplomas or experience certificates was initiated back in 2015 video case file no. CDA-5(246)HRD-I/2015. FIA also took up the case which was still under process.

Other cases included enquiries regarding misappropriation in House Building Advance for CDA employees, extortion of money and misuse of official position during payments of compensation to the affectees of Mauza Noon, Islamabad, illegal occupation by Shifa International Hospital, inquiry against member engineering among others.

Many of the accused officials whose cases are being handled by FIA remain on their seats and continue to do their duties.

‘We had concluded many departmental inquiries and progress is underway on others. Many officials had been punished and many innocents had been reinstated. FIA being a federal agency had every right to keep an overall check on different departments and it had been doing its job. Mayor and chairman CDA is focused on having only honest, upright officials in authority,’ said Malik Salim, CDA’s deputy director Media and spokesperson.