DG FIA to visit airports after behavioural complaints against officials

ISLAMABAD: The director-general of Federal Investigation Agency, Wajid Zia, has decided to pay visits to the country’s airports following the emergence of behavioural complaints against FIA officials, citing sources, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Sources said that DG FIA Wajid Zia will visit different airports of the country following the orders of the federal government. He is scheduled to visit Islamabad airport on Monday morning (tomorrow) and Karachi airport in the evening tomorrow.

Zia has also summoned a meeting of FIA directors at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport and an ‘Office Order’ was also issued to the immigration staff members of all airports.

Immigration officials have been directed to exhibit good behaviour with the passengers, the order read. The immigration staff members have been warned with strict action over the passengers’ complaints about misconduct and improper behaviour with them, it added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the FIA higher authorities had issued special instructions one month ago to its staff members but complaints about misbehaviour were registered again on Citizens Portal by the passengers.

Read: Scientist’s passport torn at Multan airport over ‘coughing,’ probe ordered

Earlier on Saturday, an official of the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) had been suspended from service for tearing up the passport of a Pakistani scientist returning from Umrah.

A Pakistani scientist was left flabbergasted when his passport was ripped by the immigration staff at the Multan airport merely over coughing without covering his mouth.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had taken notice of the incident that took place last year on December 19.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had launched a probe into the incident and summoned surveillance footage of Multan airport to ascertain the facts.

The official responsible for tearing up the passport, namely Muhammad Abu Bakr was serving as the Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the FIA.

Director FIA Punjab zone had taken notice of the matter and issued the notification for the junior official’s suspension over his reprehensible action.