Tag: Federal Investigation Agency

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is making all out efforts to resolve complaints related to cyber crime.

FIA Director General Dr. Sanaullah Abbasi said this at a meeting with members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the KCCI, the DG FIA briefed the business community about initiatives taken for promptly dealing with digital banking and cyber crime cases.

“Cybercrime has been rising as we are receiving a lot of complaints. Hence, we are making all out efforts and will try our best to resolve such complaint at the earliest,” he added.

To a suggestion, he assured to look into the possibility of providing online facility for hearing to the members of business community to save them from travelling all the way to FIA circles in far-flung areas.

“This online hearing mechanism could be set up for handling cases/ notices being received from faraway circles all over Pakistan to minimize the hardships being faced by business community,” he added while speaking at an online meeting.

The meeting was attended by General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil, President KCCI Shariq Vohra, Chairman Law & Order Subcommittee Junaid-ur-Rehman, Former Presidents KCCI Majyd Aziz & Iftikhar Vohra, Director FIA South Amir Farooqi, KCCI Managing Committee Members and FIA officials.

DG FIA Sanaullah Abbasi stated that it was the motive of FIA to fully serve and facilitate the business community.

He nominated Director FIA South Amir Farooqi as the focal person for dealing with complaints raised by the Karachi Chamber.

General Secretary BMG A.Q Khalil underscored the need to simplify the visa on arrival facility at the airports. He said the foreigners, particularly businessmen face immense hardships in availing this facility.

“Under the existing policy, a Deputy Director of FIA is responsible for either issuing or rejecting visa to any foreign investor without consulting with any Chamber of Commerce or relevant local businessmen.

“Such bureaucratic hurdles create a lot of problems and at many occasions as some of the credible foreign investors face deportation that needs to be given special attention as it sends a negative message about Pakistan,” he added.

He further advised DG FIA to publicize the progress reports and achievements in dealing with the menace of cybercrimes as a lot was being claimed but nothing much has been publicized.

“Pakistan has remained in the grey list of FATF from quite some time now and we are not much acquainted about our shortcomings whereas it has also been observed that FIA has been constantly intervening in business transactions hence, the FATF conditions for money laundering have to be effectively highlighted so that the business community could comply to the same and accordingly carry out their transactions,” AQ Khalil suggested.

President KCCI Shariq Vohra pointed out large number of notices issued by the FIA. “… we request DG FIA to also take look into the matter of large number of notices being issued to the members of the business community by FIA which are a major source of harassment,” he added.

Expressing deep concerns over notices being issued to KCCI members from FIA circles in Multan, Faisalabad and other far-flung areas where FIA officials ask relevant businessmen to appear physically for hearing or face severe consequences.

Chairman of KCCI’s Law & Order Subcommittee Junaid ur Rehman underscored to devise an effective mechanism for holding all such hearing in Karachi and if the cases were found not so serious, these should be immediately disposed of without creating more difficulties for businessmen and industrialists.

He also requested DG to enhance the capacity of system implemented for handling the cases pertaining to digital banking crimes and make it more efficient.