ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior, during a detailed briefing given by the Director-General (DG) of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday, suggested that the FIA should be given jurisdiction in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

The meeting was presided by Senator Talha Mehmood, and Col (retired) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Sardar Fateh Mohammad Hassani and Shahi Syed were also present in the meeting.

DG FIA, Mohammad Anwar Virk, said the agency had been established in 1974 by an act of Parliament, and it had a countrywide mandate, except in Fata.

He said political agents in Fata had barred the FIA from investigating the issues in the region. “We have a check post at Torkham border to counter human trafficking, but political agents continuously remind us that we have no right to be there,” he said.

Senator Talha Mehmood said that there was peace in the tribal areas in 1974 and there was no need to give the mandate to FIA then, but now the situation had changed.

“Nowadays, criminals and terrorists are hiding in these areas and plan terrorist attacks from there. We cannot allow the terrorists to move freely,” he said.

With the consent of the members of the committee, Senator Talha Mehmood said the jurisdiction of FIA should be extended to Fata and a letter would be written to the President of Pakistan to consider the issue.

Legal expert Riasat Ali Azad said: “Although the law of Pakistan cannot be implemented in Fata, FIA’s jurisdiction can be extended there through an act of Parliament.”

Giving an example, he said it was decided through an act of the Parliament that members of National Assembly and Senate would be elected from Fata and would take part in legislation. “In a similar manner, a mandate can be given to the FIA to investigate in Fata,” Mr Azad said.

Gul Muhammad Lot, who belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), said that crime rates had increased throughout the country, and since FIA was the premier investigation agency, it should be granted access to Fata.