The government has sought more time from the Supreme Court for terminating FIA Director General Waseem Ahmed, citing security reasons, sources in the Establishment Division told BR on Saturday.
Waseem had reached the superannuation last year and was given one-year extension in the service after his retirement as head of the agency, which is at present investigating many high-profile cases such as Pakistan Steel Mills corruption scam, NICL scam, Haj corruption scam and many other cases involving influential persons.
Waseem Ahmed was appointed as Director General FIA in place of Zafarullah Khan on September 9, 2010, but Zafarullah Khan also wanted to continue the investigation of pending cases - Steel Mills and other high profile corruption cases - replacing Tariq Masood Khosa, sources said.
Waseem Ahmed, who was serving as City Chief Police Officer (CCPO) Karachi prior to his appointment as FIA head was lingering the investigation of different corruption scandals and had declared Abdul Qadir Gilani, son of Prime Minister Gilani innocent in Haj corruption scam, sources added.
The Supreme Court had ordered for his (Waseem) removal within three days early this week and the deadline expired Saturday, but the government did not issue notification for his removal.
Well-placed sources in the FIA said that they have no information in this regard and there is no sign he will be removed. The DG's removal, they added, is a difficult task as he is being strongly backed by the Presidency. Meanwhile, a statement issued by Supreme Court says that the Chief Justice of Pakistan has issued direction to the office to place the report before the bench on March 7.
The order said that in its order on March 3, a six-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and Justice Ghulam Rabbani heard a suo motu case regarding corruption in Haj arrangements in 2010 had observed: "This court has more than once observed that the incumbent DG FIA who himself is holding this post on contract basis in a disciplined force, is responsible for not allowing the investigation of the instant case to proceed in a transparent manner, however, despite these observations, no action has been taken against him. Pirzada stated that the fate of DG FIA will be decided within 3 days and the report will be submitted to the SC Registrar for perusal in chambers."
The statement further said that a report regarding contract employment of the DG FIA has been filed in the Supreme Court by Abdul Rauf Chaudhry, secretary Establishment Division wherein a justification has been given for continuation of the incumbent DG Waseem Ahmed on the grounds that it concerns national security. Chief Justice of Pakistan has issued direction to the office to place the report before the Bench in the week commencing March 7 (Monday), it added.
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