FIA on notice

At a meeting with Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials on Thursday Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan regretted that no progress had been made regarding investigations into major corruption cases. Some of the cases mentioned at the meeting included a multi-billion rupee Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) scam; 72 cases involving 110 accused in another multi-billion scandal; and an alleged fraud related to Hajj arrangements and purchase of a Boeing plane for the PIA. In another shameful fraudulent scheme, at the cost of the country's reputation, people convicted of murder, drug pedalling and other serious crimes abroad were brought to Pakistan through misuse of criminal exchange agreements and set free.
Why no progress could be made is obvious from the minister's lament that nobody is ready to lay hands on bigwigs who had plundered billions of rupees. He told the FIA officials he did not want them to "do the bidding of the ruling party or himself, but to become symbols of justice for people and terror for big thieves." These are nice words but of little practical value. At the heart of the problem is a nexus between political power and corruption. As it is, a large number of FIA staff at all levels comprises political appointees. Either these people lack the necessary qualifications to fulfil professional responsibilities, are easily pliable by their benefactors, or are interested only in personal gratification. Others wishing to perform their duties conscientiously often times are coerced into facilitating wrongdoers. The minister learned to his chagrin, many of the 64 FIA officials who had been declared corrupt by an internal inquiry still remain in key positions. He was told that 16 of the 64 officers on deputation from other departments had been sent back; and that most -not all - others had been sidelined. It is perfectly understandable if those whose appeals against punitive action are pending in courts have been sidelined. But some of them still holding important positions in the agency means only one thing: that they are well-connected to politically influential individuals.
The Interior Minister has been presiding over the investigation agency for over two years now. And yet he has little to show for his efforts to improve FIA's performance regarding anti-corruption investigations. His exhortations to go after the big fish are not going to produce positive results. Neither his threat of disbanding FIA - something beyond his authority - has any significance; it in fact is either highly ambitious or empty rhetoric. If he is really serious about the issue, he needs to take a pause and figure out the reasons behind the agency's dismal performance and take remedial steps. Needless to say, the agency cannot be expected to remain completely unaffected by rampant corruption in different government departments. What the minister can and should do is to ensure two things: One that all appointments in the agency are made purely on merit. Second, that agency officials are not compelled to fear or favour anyone under investigation. He needs to prove he is up to the task.