“Responsibility should be fixed on the individuals involved and property so acquired be identified and seized,” Rehman Malik said.

ISLAMABAD: The government has given eight days to the Federal Investigation Agency to submit a first report on alleged corruption in Pakistan Steel Mills and asked it to identify the people who had caused immense losses to the country’s largest industrial unit.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held on Tuesday in pursuance of Supreme Court’s directives. Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who presided over the meeting, had been asked by court to look into the corruption that had plagued the PSM during the past decade.

FIA’s Karachi director briefed the meeting on the progress made in the investigation.

On Monday, the Supreme Court described the Rs22 billion losses suffered by Pakistan Steel Mills as the “largest dacoity” in the country and vowed to punish the guilty. Taking up suo motu notice of the sacking of former PSM chairman Moeen Aftab Sheikh without issuance of a show-cause notice, the court expressed dissatisfaction over an inquiry report submitted by the FIA and ordered arrest of the people involved in the scam.

According to a spokesman of the interior ministry, the meeting suggested induction of more officers for early completion of the investigation. “Responsibility should be fixed on the individuals involved (in the PSM scam) and property so acquired be identified and seized,” Mr Malik said.

The meeting suggested that assistance of international agencies be obtained to ascertain assets of the accused accumulated and acquired abroad.

The FIA was asked to hire forensic experts on the recommendations of the PSM chairman to get better technical assistance.

The meeting decided to abide by the instructions of the Supreme Court in letter and spirit. The authorities concerned were asked to submit a weekly report on progress to the FIA director general who would forward it to the interior ministry.