FIA employees rue that deputations in large numbers reduce chances of their promotion. They say they oppose the move to absorb some of the ‘deputationists’ in the agency by ‘tweaking’ rules. – File Photo

LAHORE: About 100 officials of BS-14 to BS-19 are working in the Federal Investigation Agency on deputation and some of them are carrying out investigations in violation of rules.

FIA employees rue that deputations in large numbers reduce chances of their promotion. They say they oppose   the move to absorb some of the ‘deputationists’ in the agency by ‘tweaking’ rules.

They say that in a political set-up the agency faces enormous pressure in investigating  high-profile cases and that ‘deputationists’ are more likely to give in to pressure.

“Four FIA employees investigating the NICL case were transferred for not giving in to political pressure. Had they been ‘deputationists’, the situation would have been otherwise,” a senior FIA officer told Dawn on Friday. He said the superior judiciary should take notice of the matter and ensure that the agency was run in a professional manner.

The agency has proposed amendments to Rule 16 of FIA appointments, promotions and transfers, 1975, but its draft has been pending with the interior ministry.

A former FIA chief had said in a letter to the interior ministry: “We have proposed amendment/deletion of Rule 16 of FIA regarding absorption of ‘deputationists’ in the agency in view of the ‘bitter’ experience of the past where several officers on deputations were absorbed in FIA not only against the rules but they were also given out-of-turn promotions later.”