KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Junaid Esmail Makda, while expressing deep concerns over harassment of businessmen by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), has advised that FIA should refrain from such actions and prior to issuing notices or summoning such individuals, the Agency must share details of the accused with KCCI with a view to save the integrity of those individuals who declared their assets under Amnesty Scheme or they may have a justifiable reason for having property in Dubai or any other State.
In a letter sent to Director General FIA Bashir Ahmed Memon, President KCCI stressed that FIA should share details of the accused with KCCI so that such cases could be thoroughly reviewed and if the accused is found guilty of any wrongdoing, KCCI would not interfere in FIA investigation.
President KCCI pointed out that it has been brought to KCCI’s notice that many individuals have been receiving FIA notices nowadays in which Suo Moto CP. No. 02/2018 and U/S 5(2) of FIA Act 1974 are cited and the recipient of such notices are being summoned at FIA Office and constantly harassed on charge of owning properties in Dubai.
He further mentioned that it was a matter of grave concern that in this regard, a confidential list of such individuals having properties outside Pakistan has been leaked which is widely circulating in social media, creating an embarrassing situation, particularly for those individuals who have recently declared their foreign assets under the Amnesty Scheme announced in 2017-18. Such an action was unacceptable as it was purely against the policy defined in the scheme.
Junaid Makda hoped that FIA would refrain from issuing such notices and consult with KCCI prior to initiating any legal action against anyone accused of owning properties abroad.
He was of the view that such actions discourage many individuals who prefer to stay away from the tax net even though the government offers any attractive amnesty scheme in future, besides triggering trust deficit.
