FIA's Prosecution Budget: SC directs Secretary Interior to submit report

07 Aug, 2015

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Interior Secretary to submit report over allocation of lesser budget to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for investigations and prosecution.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan heard the bail matter of accused Azhar involved in human trafficking. Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja remarked that if the report turns out to be unsatisfactory then the court would summon the Secretary Interior.

The bench also took notice of allocation of lesser budget to the FIA for investigations and prosecution. Director FIA Muhammad Tariq informed the Court that FIA had sought Rs 110 million but received only Rs 1.5 million from government.

Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja observed that accused get acquitted due to weak prosecution and the blame is passing on to the judiciary. Such a low FIA budget is a joke, if FIA had asked for Rs 11 billion it could have received Rs 110 million, he added. He remarked that it was responsibility of the state to investigate and prosecute the accused.

Later the court adjourned the hearing till August 11.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015

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