Syed Fawad Ali Shah
Any law enforcement force has certain traits which differentiate it from the departments such as
discipline, due process of law, professionalism and impartiality. FIA being the premier Law enforcement
agency in Pakistan has been considered as a role model for other law enforcement agencies. But with
the passage of time such characteristics are being eroded. Now FIA has been dual set of rules for its
employees. One for the elite class of PSP and other for the inductees of FIA. If a complaint is received
against any official or officer recruited at FIA's own strength then the grilling process is initiated
immediately. Either the official is suspended or his field posting is withdrawn. In the result of disciplinary
proceedings either an official is dismissed or demoted. Some officials have to face even criminal cases.
But the same yardstick is not followed when the allegations are leveled against any PSP officer. Never in
the history of FIA, any disciplinary action was taken against this class. This disparity has created rifts
amongst the two ranks. Since its Director General always comes from the PSP so he always looks after
his class interests in FIA. Most of the lucrative postings are reserved for PSPs and FIA's own personnel
are considered untouchables for the same. With a one or two exceptions almost all the zonal directors
are PSPs. The formula is very simple. If u are a notorious, incompetent and kicked out by all the regular
provincial police forces then you are warmly welcome to occupy any key post in FIA. But if you are a
dedicated, hard working loyal officer but a non-PSP then u have to cut a sorry figure. If one wants to
understand how authoritarian PSPs are in FIA then there is a classic example of one such officer who is a
BPS-19 Police officer belonging to a remote rural district of Sindh. This gentleman is notorious for his ill
mannerism, bad mouthing, corruption and malpractices yet he is literally running the show in FIA. In the
era of Bashir Memon as DG FIA this guy was calling all the shots. When the selection process for UN
peace Mission started this officer did a very strange thing in order to show his muscles. Instead of
requesting nomination of competent officers from all field offices of FIA, he wrote a letter with his own
signature recommending his own name as the only suitable candidate for UN peace mission. This
created great resentment in FIA as even those who previously participated in UN missions were ignored.
By misusing his official position, he again managed to go to Saudi Arabia on Hajj Mission. But this saga
never ended there. When the selection of officers for FIA's link offices abroad started the same
Additional Director again manipulated the whole process by getting himself nominated for Italy as
Counselor. His diplomatic passport was ready to be delivered when all of sudden the matter was
brought into the notice on Ministry of Interior. The ministry halted the entire process as the whole
process was carried out without any principles and proper policy. This PSP is so infuriated that he has
filed a case in high court in order to exert pressure on Ministry of Interior. One wonders whether FIA has
become infertile as only this Additional Director is nominated for all important tasks being jack of all
trades and no one else is able to fill in the gap. He is famous for violating all official decorum while
dealing with his subordinates. The excessive use of abusive language is the hallmark of his character. In a
recent incident he got a serving FIA officer illegally arrested by Islamabad police who was later released
by them fearing legal consequences. An FIA Sub Inspector complained against his alleged misbehaviour
yet it seems that words discipline and official norms are not meant for this PSP. Most of the FIA
Employees avoid even seeing him as his arrogance is a pain in the neck. It would have been a normal
thing had Mr. Wajid Zia was not running the affairs of FIA as its DG. Being a very humble, polite, soft
spoken and know for his kindheartedness it seems very strange that such strange PSP is working under
his command. The same PSP was thrown out of Islamabad police by the then EX: IGP Tahir Alam who
sent a detailed report to the government regarding his corruption and wrongdoings. In order to save FIA
ranks from further unrest this additional director should not only be surrendered being the remains of
Bashir Memon but a proper enquiry should be initiated to be probe how this gentleman has been able
to acquire huge assets beyond his ostensible means despite belonging to a very humble origin. No doubt
he has purged the FIA from most of the incompetent, corrupt and problematic elements but this
additional director is still sitting in the administration. This is a test case for DG FIA Wajid Zia who is
known as the Hero of Panama JIT and death blower of sugar mafia.-The writer is a senior Journalist.
