25 September 2004	Saturday	09 Shaban 1425

LAHORE, Sept 24: The National Accountability Bureau on Friday presented a fresh 'lucrative package' for the Federal Investigation Agency employees to lure them into joining the bureau.

The NAB gave a written assurance to the agency after receiving a lukewarm response from the FIA employees intending to join the former. The new package offering job security, seniority and handsome salary was received by the FIA headquarters on Friday. However, it would be circulated in the regional offices in a couple of days.

Earlier, the NAB had assured the agency employees of offering a little raise and meagre utility charges and house rent. But it could succeed in luring only a handful number of FIA employees.

The interior ministry had notified the merger of the FIA's anti-crime and economic crime wings in the NAB on Aug 20 this year. As many as 753 posts of the wings had also been transferred to the bureau.

According to the modalities finalized between the NAB and the FIA, the former has to absorb 33 per cent staff of the anti-crime wing, which is 1,114 and the entire staff (330) of the economic crime wing.

Some 30 per cent budget of the agency has to be transferred to the NAB according to the agreement. As many as 24 four-wheelers belonging to the central and regional offices of the agency will be handed over to the NAB.

The FIA headquarters had asked 483 employees currently working with these wings whether they wanted to go in the NAB. They include three director, 22 deputy-directors and 33 assistant-directors.

From Lahore 32 officials have so far agreed to join the NAB. They include an assistant-director and six inspectors. From Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar around 10 officials each have given their consent.

The NAB sources said at least 50 per cent employees of these wings would now be attracted from the new package. They said the senior FIA officials assigned by the headquarters would try to convince the employees of these wings to join the NAB. They (officers) would also warn the employees of sending them in the surplus pool on refusal, they added.

The NAB officials said the new package offered a complete job security. The new rules of business would be devised to address their seniority as well, they said, adding the handsome salary, bonuses and cash awards would be offered on recovery from suspects.

A senior FIA official told this reporter that most of the employees of the wings had earlier refused to join the NAB because of its 'uncertain future' and considering the step-motherly treatment meted out to the FIA employees already working with the NAB on deputation.

Meanwhile, the FIA has prepared the file work of over 5,000 inquires and cases of these wings across the country. These will be transferred to the NAB in few days.