ISLAMABAD: Disregar­ding the directions of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to stop proceedings against suspects in a probe into irregularities in evacuee properties, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has decided to continue with the investigation being conducted on the orders of the Supreme Court.

FIA spokesman Dr Athar Waheed confirmed to Dawn that the investigation in the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) case would continue in compliance with the apex court order.

During the Feb 4 meeting, PAC Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain had directed the FIA to stop the inquiry until the auditor general concluded a forensic audit and presented the report. However, talking to Dawn on Wednesday, he claimed that he was unaware the Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the issue at the time he issued his directions.

According to the FIA, 30 arrests have been made so far in connection with the FIRs.

Insiders said the agency had deliberated upon the PAC direction to stop further investigation into allegations against officials of the ETPB and decided to complete the inquiry. The sources said the decision was taken at a meeting chaired by FIA Director General Sanaullah Abbasi.

In March 2021, the apex court had ordered the FIA to probe into the matter and sought a forensic audit report from the auditor general.

An official statement issued by the FIA spokesman stated: “In compliance to the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court… special teams were constituted at all the seven FIA Zonal Offices. These teams were tasked with registering [inquiries], lodging FIRs ... and [conducting] land retrieval and rent recovery operations for the retrieval of illegally possessed ETPB land and accrued rent of ETPB properties, respectively.”

The FIA statement explained: “Illegally possessed ETPB properties valuing approximately at Rs25.03 billion have been successfully retrieved and duly handed over to the ETPB teams accompanying FIA raiding teams by securing acknowledgement of handing over/taking over of these repossessed properties.

Numerically, it said, the FIA successfully retrieved 183 illegally occupied ETPB properties and recovered outstanding rent of 56 ETPB properties have.

But talking to Dawn, the PAC chairman warned the investigation agency of ‘legal consequences’ in case of defiance of PAC orders, saying: “I can summon the DG FIA for non-compliance.”

In his view, he convened the PAC meeting on receipt of an application against alleged harassment of ETPB officials by the investigation agency. “I didn’t know that the Supreme Court has taken the suo motu notice on this particular matter,” he said.

He said the FIA representative during the Feb 4 meeting had ‘agreed’ to hold the inquiry till completion of the forensic audit and the PAC issued the direction after ‘tacit’ approval of the investigation agency.

Commenting on the PAC’s stance, a top law officer said the legislature and the judiciary were two separate pillars of state. As the superior courts showed restraint in interfering into the parliament, this should be reciprocated, he said.

He was of the opinion that the PAC could seek assistance from the attorney general before issuing the direction to stop the inquiry that had been ordered by the Supreme Court.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2022