Pak suspend FIA officer on NICL corruption scandal

Another ugly turn in NICL corruption scandal investigation, the federal government Monday night suspended a competent senior FIA officer, Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, on the pretext of his “speaking to media”.A recent government attempt to remove Qureshi, who is FIA additional director general (ADG), from the multi-billion rupees corruption case was thwarted by the Supreme Court on Friday as the court cancelled his transfer orders. The chief justice lauded the officer, saying that Qureshi has recovered 1.75 billion rupees to the national exchequer, which was record recovery in a criminal case.The ministry of interior has appointed Shafqat Naghmi as an inquiry officer and asked him to submit report in one week. LAHORE – In yet another ugly turn in NICL corruption scandal investigation, the federal government Monday night suspended a competent senior FIA officer, Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, on the pretext of his “speaking to media”.
A recent government attempt to remove Qureshi, who is FIA additional director general (ADG), from the multi-billion rupees corruption case was thwarted by the Supreme Court on Friday as the court cancelled his transfer orders. The chief justice lauded the officer, saying that Qureshi has recovered 1.75 billion rupees to the national exchequer, which was record recovery in a criminal case.
The ministry of interior has appointed Shafqat Naghmi as an inquiry officer and asked him to submit report in one week.Media Source said that Zafar Qureshi, who was heading investigation team probing corruption in the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL), has been suspended for his bringing the case on the media.
Significantly the suspension order for Zafar Ahmad Qureshi was issued after Senior Minister Prevaiz Elahi accompanied by Minister for Interior Rehman Malik called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Prevaiz Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi is involved in the scam and he has been under detention for the last few months.
The move that will further delay the probe – which the apex court wants to be completed at the earliest possible – has been justified by the government saying that the FIA ADG talked to the media, an area prohibited to the bureaucracy. Source claimed that it was unclear how the top court will proceed on the subject.
With his restoration orders the apex court had also directed FIA DG to facilitate ADG Qureshi in NICL scam investigation. But instead of facilitating the ADG, the DG on the very same day transferred all investigation team members assisting the ADG in the NICL case to remote and difficult posts. An FIA officer said that he was suspended only to teach him a lesson.Report Pak nation