The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) punished 214 of its officers during the last four months of 2025 as part of a crackdown on human trafficking and corruption, according to official sources. The action included the dismissal of 76 officials, the demotion of nine officers, and the sacking of two others.
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The disciplinary measures followed a surge in complaints against FIA personnel, particularly involving human smuggling and abuse of authority. Officials said the scope of accountability widened after the establishment of the Directorate of Internal Accountability (DIA) at FIA headquarters in August 2025.
The DIA was created to strengthen oversight and curb internal corruption, with similar structures replicated at the zonal level. A senior FIA official said the reforms were prompted by deadly boat incidents in Europe and Africa, where investigations revealed the alleged involvement of FIA personnel in human trafficking.
The official added that a high-level inquiry confirmed the complicity of some agency staff in facilitating illegal migration. Concerns over corruption were also highlighted in the International Monetary Fund’s November 2025 report, Pakistan: Governance and Corruption Diagnostic, which cited governance failures as a key factor behind institutional inefficiency.
Under the new system, FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja delegated accountability powers to additional directors general and zonal directors. These officers were authorised to take disciplinary action against officials up to grade 16.
To improve transparency, the FIA also introduced an online monitoring module to track inquiries from complaint registration to final disposal, including appeals. Senior officers can now monitor progress in real time, officials said.
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Of the punishments awarded, around 20 per cent were related to immigration complaints, another 20 per cent to faulty investigations, and 40 per cent to indiscipline and inefficiency. The remaining cases involved other violations.
The FIA currently operates in 12 zones across the country, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir remains outside its jurisdiction. Officials said the reforms were carried out with full support from the interior ministry to improve accountability and service delivery.