LAHORE, Aug 13: The interior ministry is taking up the case of the officials aspiring to be absorbed in the Federal Investigation Agency this week in violation of agency’s rules and aspirations of its employees.

Various departments, including Prime Minister’s Secretariat, have recommended the interior ministry to absorb some grade 17 and above officials working in the FIA on deputation.

Those recommended for absorption are additional director (BS-19) Aamir Ali Khan, additional director (BS-19) Tahir Jamil, assistant director (BS-17) Vichash Motan Pota, assistant director (BS-17) Ehsan Ahmed and assistant director (BS-17) Nasir Jamil.

According to FIA 1974 rules, no official working in the agency on deputation can be absorbed in BS-18 and above. Only FIA officials are entitled to be promoted to BS-18 and above.

In BS-17, the rules say, 50 per cent of FIA officials have to be promoted and the remaining have to be selected through the Federal Public Service Commission. However, if the services of an official (BS-17) on deputation are considered to be inevitable to be absorbed into FIA, he must be from police, customs, income tax or accounts group. In BS-17 cases, most of them are not from these groups.

Some FIA officials have written a letter to the Supreme Court chief justice, asking him to take notice of deputation and absorption of ‘unprofessional’ officials from other departments.

The letter says: “Unprofessional officers of various departments working on deputation against rules are spoiling FIA’s image and causing frustration in the FIA cadre.”

A list of 95 officials of various departments working in the agency on deputation is attached with the letter and their link with influential personalities is also mentioned.

The letter says the interior secretary has fixed Aug 15 and 16 to take up absorption cases of some officials on deputation and the court must intervene.

Hearing a case in June, the SC sought details of officials working on deputation in FIA, but the department has yet to submit these, the letter says.