ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court Wednesday rejected to halt the investigation into Rs26 billion alleged corruption in Pakistan Steel Mills.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, heading a three-member bench that also comprised Justice Tariq Pervaiz and Justice Ghulam Rabbani, was hearing a suo motu case involving over Rs22 billion alleged corruption in Pakistan Steel Mills.
Fakhuruddin G Ibrahim, counsel for PSM, argued that PSM was facing a loss of Rs1 to 2 billion as the contractors were not ready to purchase the billet from them, therefore he prayed to stop the investigation against the contractors. He stated that the investigation had dropped the production to 40 per cent, adding that even Scotland Yard had failed to stop such white-collar crimes.
The chief justice expressing annoyance said the court did not expect such kind of request from him, adding “huge embezzlements of over Rs26 billion had been committed in the state-owned entity and you are asking us to halt the investigation.”
He remarked that no action had been taken against the people who were involved in the scam, while the police and FIA had arrested low-grade officers of PSM. The chief justice said when no institution moved against the corruption in PSM then the apex court had to take suo motu notice of the case. He said investigations were going well, but suddenly Minister for Interior Rehman Malik constituted a committee.
Justice Tariq Pervaiz questioned DG FIA how many people involved in the embezzlements had so far been arrested by the FIA and how many of them had been transferred during the investigation process.
Director General Federal Investigation Agency Waseem Ahmed told the court that FIA had already changed its three heads and he himself would be moved from the office.
Justice Tariq further also asked about the recovered money. The DG FIA replied the law do not provide any mechanism for recovery of the embezzled money as under law only the NAB has the authority to do so. He said assets of Rs400 million have been frozen in the case.
Waseem Ahmed also stunned the court when he cast doubt on the report prepared by his predecessors. “You will completely demolish the case,” the CJ reacted to DG FIA comment. The court observed it would have serious impact, saying that it seemed very important that the incumbent DG FIA did not own the report prepared by its department. The chief justice asked him that why he was not satisfied with the report of his own department. “Its old, that’s why I am not satisfied with it”, he said.
The CJP said if investigation was wrong then take action against all including the ex-DG FIA for misleading and put them behind the bars. The chief justice asked him to register cases against ex-DG FIA and the former director operation, who had prepared the report, if he did not own it.
He said that such people had been posted in PSM who caused huge losses to it, and asked if the courts had to do everything then what was the role of police and agencies.
Waseem stated, “If the court does not have faith in me then I will go and resign now.”
To another query with regard to Al-Abbas Group, Waseem said the group was providing 20 per cent raw material to PSM. He, however, said that allegations regarding its high rates were not correct.
He said that even without corruption the PSM was facing loss and requested for time to study the case thoroughly. The CJ ordered DG FIA to submit a comprehensive report in this regard and adjourned the case for a month, without fixing date.