Islamabad: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday admitted that Pakistan’s top investigation agency had failed to perform up to the mark in the past, vowing to introduce major reforms in the institution by the end of this year.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is a border control, criminal investigation, counterintelligence and security agency operating under the Interior Ministry. The FIA undertakes operations against “terrorism,” espionage, federal crimes, smuggling, infringement, cybercrimes and other specified offences.
However, the institution has been criticized in the past for allegedly harassing political opponents of the government, misusing cybercrime laws and alleged corruption.
“If this agency were performing properly, NAB would never have been created,” Naqvi told FIA officials during a ceremony in Islamabad.
“Because all this work already belonged to the FIA, which NAB is now doing.”
The minister said the reason for FIA’s poor performance was that once the institution was created, no one bothered to assess its condition.
He recalled that there was a time when, if someone wanted to punish a government official, they were appointed to the FIA.
“However, I am again telling you, as I promised the prime minister, that by the end of this year, Jan. 1, 2027, people will be coming to you saying, 'Take us into the FIA,'" he said.
The minister vowed not to hold back promotions within the FIA, adding that the government was also working on a detailed plan to provide the agency with resources.
However, he noted that corruption has caused the most damage to the FIA.
"I am promising you, and my whole team sitting here is promising you, that we will go to every possible extent to address your issues," Naqvi said.
"But you also have to promise that you will eliminate corruption from the FIA," he said. "If anyone is found involved in it, there will be no leniency."
Naqvi also promised to provide new vehicles to the FIA and allocate resources to help officials conduct raids.
