ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who has been facing an inquiry by the National Accountability Bureau in the RPPs case, has rejected a proposal of handing over FIA’s anti-corruption and economic crimes wings to the bureau.

According to a letter issued by the PM’s secretariat, the prime minister turned down the NAB proposal of handing over the two wings that had worked under the bureau from 2004 to 2008.

“In the light of the view of the cabinet division, the ministry of interior and the law and justice division, the prime minister has been pleased not to approve the proposal,” the letter said.

In a summary sent to the prime minister in January this year, NAB Chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari had requested that the two wings be merged with the NAB and that there should be no parallel white-collar crime controlling systems or authorities.

“It is proposed in the best national interest that anti-corruption and economic crimes wings of the FIA be transferred to the NAB along with all cases and staff,” the summary said.It said that appropriate amendments to the NAB Ordinance and the FIA Act be made for additional and omissions of relevant entries.

“The NAB chairman may be authorised to conduct prosecution of FIA cases pending before the special judge (central) in terms of Pakistan Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act 1958. The NAB be authorised to exclusively deal with corruption cases to the exclusion of any other agency as envisaged in the NAB Ordinance,” the summary said.

In 2004, the two wings were first merged with the then powerful NAB, which was investigating 5,000 cases at that time. Under the merger plan, the section (6) clauses 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 165-A, 168, 169 and 409 of the FIA Act of 1974 were omitted from it and added to the NAB Ordinance. However, when the bureau became a punchbag between the Supreme Court and the government because of the controversial immunity given to politicians and bureaucrats under the National Reconciliation Ordinance by former president Gen Pervez Musharraf, the bureau turned weaker and the FIA wings were sent back to their parent department in 2008.

It is believed the NAB, being an apex anti-corruption agency, is acting as the central authority for implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), to which Pakistan is a signatory.

The NAB is also mandated to cooperate with anti-corruption authorities around the globe on matters relating to corruption.

According to sources, the ministry of interior has some reservations in handing over the two wings to the NAB. It seems that parallel accountability system in the country suits the power corridors to get the results of their choice.

The sources said a plan to replace the NAB with a proposed National Accountability Commission was being implemented, especially after the NAB started investigation against Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the RPPs case.

According to the Money Laundering Act, three government agencies have been dealing with laundering cases. The FIA deals with those related to terrorism, the NAB takes up cases related to financial crimes and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has powers to deal with narcotics-related cases.