http://dailymailnews.com/0311/06/FrontPage/index.php?id=4

ISLAMABAD – Senate Standing Committee on Interior has expressed its surprise over the release of the owners and management of Foreign Exchange Company Khanani and Kalia before the completion of inquiry into in to the case of Money laundering by the Company. The Committee also expressed its strong resentment over delay in the completion of the inquiry by the FIA.

During a meeting of the Committee chaired by Senator Talha Mahmood here at the Parliament House Saturday, Director General FIA Wasim Ahmad told the committee that owners of the company spent huge amounts for their release and during their arrest, they received VIP protocol and most of the time they stayed in hospital rather than jail.

He said two doctors had come to jail and on their recommendation the owner of the Company was shifted to hospital.

When asked by Senator Nayyar Bokhari as to why the FIA did not seek report from Jail doctor, Director General FIA said jail doctor had no business with the case and he was transferred to hospital on the direction of the Court. He said the judiciary is independent in Pakistan but Khanani and Kalia spent massive money for his release. The investigating officer told the committee that it would take some time to complete the report into money laundering case against Khanani and Kalia

DG FIA said the team had no access to documents while under the constitution, NAB has the powers to get access to such documents. He said best investigators have been transferred to NAB but he said now that FIA has got back some of the power from NAB these officers have not be posted back. He said many officers posted in FIA from other departments have no practical experience of investigation and that was why delay is being caused in many inquiries. He said out of a total strength of 2700, 1032 posts are vacant in FIA. He said no recruitment is being made to avoid induction of incapable people through political influence.

On a query by Senator Talha Mahmood that CDA allotted 3192 plots to employees during the previous regime and reportedly 66 plots were allotted to former Chairman, DG FIA said there are 29 inquiries pending with it against the CDA. He said reports in some of the cases would be completed by April.

The Chairman of the committee said that the cost of 3192 plots allotted to employees comes to Rs 70 billion and asked the CDA to present a detailed report in this connection and FIA should also hold an inquiry in this connection.

The committee recommended that a government officer should not be allotted more than one plot and details of those having more than one plot be provided to the committee.

The committee was informed that NOC for bullet proof vehicle for the son of Prime Minister was issued by the Interior Minister and an amount of Rs 80 lac was given as customs duty on the vehicle.

The committee summoned two Drug controllers Sheikh Ansar and Dr Rauf Khalid at the next meeting in connection with giving additional quota to a Multan pharmaceutical company. The quota of Afadirin was increased from one thousand kilogram to eleven thousand kilogram.

Director General Health told the committee that recommendation for enhanced quota was made by three officers including former Director General Health Dr Rashid Juma, Drug Controllers Sheikh Ansar and Dr Rauf.