ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has placed names of the managing director (MD) and deputy managing director (DMD) of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) on the exit control list (ECL) without any evidence.
Additional director of FIA informed the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources that the agency has approached the interior ministry to remove the names of the PSO MD and DMD from the ECL because the investigation official had found no evidence against them. The Senate body was also told that the PSO MD was placed on ECL even though no charges of corruption were framed against him.
“We have no information about an inquiry initiated by FIA,” Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said. He noted that FIA had harassed top PSO officials without consulting the parent ministry and asked the agency to disclose what crime it believed the PSO MD had committed.
At the same time, Abbasi claimed he had figures which showed gas theft had increased following FIA’s involvement in the matter. He accused some of the agency’s officials of benefitting from the gas theft.
Other panel members expressed resentment at the unpreparedness of the FIA additional director.
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