ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday said he has always put in sincere efforts towards making Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a professional and non-political organizations.

“I have always advised FIA and other attached departments of the Ministry to ensure justice and rule of law,” he said in a statement issued here.

In response to a statement issued by Former President, Asif Ali Zardari, Chaudhary Nisar said he was ready to constitute a Commission on role of FIA and its performance if former president desired. “I say with complete responsibility that during my tenure neither FIA was used for any political, personal or illegal activity nor was external pressure or interference allowed in its affairs,” the Minister said.

Nisar said he would not go in details as how FIA was used by previous governments but being a Minister he has been trying to make the Agency a clean and professional organisation. The Minister said sincere efforts have resulted in recovery of Rs 14.6 billion from corrupt persons and the amount was submitted into the national exchequer while the recovery in anti-corruption domain was only in millions during previous tenures.

The Minister said a lot more was needed to be done to ensure professionalism in FIA and assured the former President that FIA would not be used against innocent persons and political opponents. At the same time, he vowed that FIA would not pursue any laxity and corrupt persons would be taken to task; and offered to conduct judicial scrutiny of all FIA cases.—APP