ISLAMABAD: The government removed on Monday Zafar Qureshi, an additional director-general of the Federal Investigation Agency, amid reports that the PPP is developing close relations with the Pakistan Muslim League-Q whose leaders were being investigated by the official in the National Insurance Company Limited land scam, Dawn has learnt.

The removal of Mr Qureshi from the FIA raised many an eyebrow here because the move is a clear indication about a possible alliance of the PPP and the PML-Q.

Mr Qureshi was tasked to investigate the NICL scandal on the directives of the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Moonis Elahi filed three applications in the apex court requesting it to remove Mr Qureshi from the NICL scam investigation and to order an investigation against him.

The applications said the main accused in the NICL scam, Habibullah Waraich and family, had deposited the entire required amount with the FIA but Moonis Elahi, his wife and other members of the family were being harassed by Mr Qureshi.

The government transferred Mr Qureshi and posted Chaudhry Manzoor as additional director-general of the FIA.

The Federal Investigation Agency has declared Mr Elahi an accused in the NICL scam.