LAHORE – In Violation of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Appointment Promotion and Transfer Rules 1975, deputationists are holding key posts in FIA, adding to that an officer, who does not even qualify for deputation in the agency has been assigned with sensitive inquiry, an officer of FIA said on Wednesday.
Afraz posted as Deputy Director Administration was not only appointed in FIA against rules but also assigned investigation of famous ZARCO case.  Afraz came from National Highway Authority (NHA) and was from information department.
It is worth mentioning here that as per article 6 of FIA Appointment, Promotion and Transfer Rules 1975, not less than 50 per cent of the posts in grades 16 to 18 shall be filled by promotion of officers serving in the agency on regular basis, provided that no suitable officers serving in the agency on regular fixations, experience and length of service are available, the posts may be filled by transfer or direct appointment. Interestingly, five senior officers serving on regular basis at the Lahore Office were posted as additional director administration only to accommodate ‘deputationists’. In a letter addressed to Secretary Interior, DG FIA said that Afraz was not suitable officer to conduct investigation of such an important case since he does not fulfill the rules Rule 12 of the FIA Act 1975 which deals with the hiring of officers from other departments.
As per rule 12, for the purposes of promotion, direct appointment and transfer, the posts in the FIA would be placed in the groups of investigation, Accounts, Customs, Income Tax, Engineering and Legal. These groups may, for the smooth administration of the agency and with the prior approval of the federal government, be added to or modified as may be considered appropriate by the FIA director general.
According to details, at present 64 officers of grade 17 and above were performing in FIA across the country on deputation basis. In FIA Lahore 30 ‘deputationists’ were working in grade-14 to grade-19 including the former head of FIA Punjab, Waqar Haider, who is additional director in grade-19.
Haider was posted as additional director, Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC), Lahore, on January 6, 2011. Only after three months of his service, he was given acting charge of the office of Director FIA.
According to FIA services rules, acting charge can only be given for three months and it is renewable only once, but Waqar is continuing in this position for more than two years for unknown reasons.
Babar Shafi, additional director monitoring Lahore in grade-19, belongs to the DMG Group and was posted in the FIA on deputation on April 18, 2012.
Additional Director Waseem Anwar Bhinder, serving at FIA ATU Lahore in grade-18, came to the FIA on deputation from Nepra on February 8, 2011. Dr Naveed Atif, deputy director immigration Lahore in grade-18, belongs to Punjab Police and was posted in the FIA on deputation on June 1, 2012 but police officers are always deputed against their due quota.