950817

Banking secret

provisions not

to apply of

FACC requisitions

SAQLAIN IMAM

LAHORE: The Federal Finance Ministry is going to notify the certain amendments in the banking rules to empower the Federal Anti-Corruption Committee to requisition all necessary informations relating to a case of corruption which generally are considered bank secrets.

According to sources, the ministry has drafted the notification and also got its approval from the Chairman of the Committee, Malik Mohammad Qasim. The notification will be issued shortly as soon as it is endorsed by the prime minister.

The Federal Anti-Corruption Committee had brought several time to the knowledge of the prime minister that most of the white collar crimes committed during the Nawaz Sharif era belonged to the banking sector.

He reported to the premier that since banks had been protected by some rules that empower them to refuse divulging any information regarding accounts of any person involved in a case of corruption.

According to sources, the amendments would empower the Federal Anti-Corruption Committee to order any bank, both from public as well as private sectors to furnish all informations of an account that belongs to a person about whom the Committee is convinced that he is involved in a case of corruption.