FIA DG given in Zafar Qureshi’s subordination

ISLAMABAD:-

                          Additional DG FIA Zafar Qureshi in National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) multibillion scam probe.Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Tuesday while hearing NICL case directed ‘the DG FIA to henceforth be associated with the team, investigating the multibillion scam and supervised by Zafar Qureshi.’ Qureshi was reinstated as Additional DG FIA on the Supreme Court’s judgement on August 08, 2011.A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing a sou moto regarding violation of Public Procurement Rules, 2004 in loss of billions of rupees to exchequer caused by NICL.The DG FIA was also ordered to cancel the leaves of all the FIA officers, who were associated with Zafar Qureshi in NICL scam. The additional DG complained that according to his information, all the officers, working with him in NICL scam, were sent on leaves. He said that despite the court’s order hindrances had been created in his way, instead of assisting.The FIA officers have been directed to appear before the court today (Wednesday). The DG FIA was asked to inquire from Inspector General of Police Punjab if any case had been registered against the person who had spread the rumour of bomb at FIA camp officer Lahore on August 13.During the course of proceeding Zafar Qureshi informed the court that on Friday night (August 12) Khawaja Hamad phoned him and told about the planting of the bomb. He said Hamad had asked him not to come to office tomorrow (Saturday), adding: “When on 13th August I reached the FIA office I was told that a bomb is planted in the building.” He stated the main gate was locked and he was not allowed to enter though some FIA officers were inside the building.The bench observed that DG FIA should have registered the case against Kh Hamad in the concerned police station under PPC 505, who had telephoned Qureshi so the police could have inquired the matter and dealt in accordance with law. The Chief Justice asked the DG FIA to collect the record of telephone call and not to destroy it.Zafar Qureshi, earlier, narrated in detail the facts about non-cooperation by Secretary Interior Khawaja Siddique Akbar, DG FIA and Director FIA Lahore Waqar Haider. He told the bench that after passing of the order by Supreme Court on August 8, he had written letters to Secretary Interior and DG FIA but they extended no cooperation.Although he has assumed the charge of additional DG FIA on August 11, the investigation team already attached with him had not been made available and reportedly Javed Hussain Shah was sent on casual leave.

Pakistan is partner in anti-terror fight: US

Pakistan is America’s partner in the fight against terrorism and the two countries will continue to work together in combating the menace, the State Department said. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland dismissed the suggestion that discussions on militant organizations like the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba being able to operate on the Pakistani soil implied that the key South Asian country was a state sponsor of terrorism. “Our view is that Pakistan is a partner in our fight against terror, and we’re going to continue to work together. We believe it is in our interest and it’s in the interest of Pakistan that we continue to strengthen our cooperation and collaboration,” she said.

Nuland was answering a series of following Defence Secretary Leon Panetta’s remarks about the two organizations’ alleged links in Pakistan.

“I think Secretary Panetta spoke to our concern about how these two organizations operate and any relationship that they may have with Pakistan, which is a subject that we talk about with Pakistan, which is a different issue than a state being a sponsor of terrorism itself,” she explained.

The spokesperson said Panetta’s remarks did not suggest that the two organizations had relationship with the Pakistani government as she responded with a “no” when asked pointedly if the comments meant that.

Panetta appeared jointly with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday and discussing U.S.-Pakistan relationship, both saw it as of “paramount importance” to the fight against terror as well as in the context of Pakistan’s vital significance in the region.

Washington, the State Department spokesperson said, has a robust dialogue with Pakistan on counterterrorism issues, and “we continue to try to strengthen our approach, collaborate as much as we can.

Obviously, these two organizations that Secretary Panetta spoke about this morning are on the list of subjects that we talk about together. But beyond that, I don’t think I’m going to get into the substance

NICL case: DG FIA resigns during hearing in Supreme Court

NICL CASE:-

The Director General (DG) of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) presented his resignation before the Supreme Court during hearing of NICL scam case on Wednesday.

The Chief Justice with other members of the Supreme Court bench resumed hearing of NICL scam case. During hearing, the Director General of FIA said in the court that he has been given under his junior officer by the orders of the court so he is unable to continue his service under these circumstances.

The Chief Justice said in his remarks that you should render your resignation to the competent authority not before the court. Prior to DG FIA’s resignation, when court enquired that yesterday who was responsible of creating hurdles in Zafar Qureshi’s entrance into Lahore FIA office. The Assistant Director of FIA Khawaja Hammad informed the court that Director FIA Waqar Haider instructed that Zafar Qureshi should be stopped from entering into office yesterday.