FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) is working on a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for developing a system under which no CNIC would be blocked unless there are solid evidence that the cardholder is a non-national.

Nadra Chairman Usman Mobin briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control said that the authority is working on a new SOP in order to prevent blocking of CNICs without solid proofs.

He further informed that Nadra has so far blocked 375,000 CNICs of suspected persons from all provinces.

Senator Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini said that 56 per cent of Baloch population in Balochistan is unregistered due to which large part of Baloch population is not included in ongoing population census. He said that NADRA needs to set up offices in Quetta and Sariab and arrange mobile vans for remote areas in order to increase registration.

He further told the committee that over four million foreign nationals in Balochistan have become part of the system and some political parties are also supporting them. “Some of MPAs and MNAs are also involved in attesting blank CNICs forms,” he said.

On this Senator Rehman Malik said that fake verification should be stopped, adding if law enforcement agencies can arrest government officials for wrong verification then action should also be taken against those MNAs and MPAs involved in such crime.

Malik said that blockage of CNIC is become a serious issue with each passing day as people are suffering because of their blocked CNICs. He said unfortunately Nadra is doing nothing to unblock the CNICs of those original Pakistanis which are tagged ‘suspected.’

He directed the chairman Nadra to look into the matter and CNICs of genuine Pakistanis should be unblocked immediately. He said that no one should be victimised for his/her similarities with Afghans or people of other nationalities. He further said that it is now proved that neither is every Pashtun terrorist nor is every terrorist Pashtun.

The committee directed the Nadra chairman to provide province-wise details about blocked CNIC to the committee during the next meeting.

Malik and other members of the committee showed annoyance over the closure of Nadra offices in different parts of the country, particularly in far-flung areas where people have to travel miles to reach a Nadra office.

The meeting also discussed amendment in ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ and ‘The Pakistan Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2017’ introduced by Senator Mohammad Azam Khan Swati.

Malik while commenting on the proposed ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2017’ said that no shelter should be provided to any criminal on gender basis or for any other reason. He said a criminal should be treated as criminal either the criminal is male or female, adding if any legal concession or shelter is provided to female criminals, the chances of misuse of gender can increase in the country. Sajid Kiyani, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Islamabad stated that there is no effective legislation against those who get false FIR registered. He said during 2016, a total of 7,034 FIRs were registered. The SSP stated, “If we do not register FIR then it is registered through court.”

Malik said those policemen who lodge fake FIRs must be made accountable through law. He said unfortunately police register FIR under the influence of landlords and politicians and other influential personalities, instead of looking into the matter neutrally.

The committee appreciated Swati’s effort for bringing this bill but he was requested to resubmit the bill after incorporating necessary amendments in it.

Malik also took serious notice of abduction of Nawab Ali Laghari and directed the Islamabad police to submit a detailed report to the committee in this regard within one week.

The committee also took notice of missing of Lt Col Mohammad Habib (Retd) who has gone missing from Nepal-India border while visiting Nepal for a job interview.

Malik directed Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit a comprehensive report to the committee on the issue in the next meeting.

The committee strongly condemned the suicide bomb blast in Parachinar, in which more than two dozens innocent people lost their lives, and expressed heartfelt sympathies and condolences with victim families.

The parliamentary body also expressed great concerns over the tragic incident happened in Sargodha in which a fake spiritual leader killed his twenty innocent followers.

Malik said that there is no legislation in the country to deal with fake spiritual leaders who are not only defaming the innocent face of Sufism but are also victimising innocent people of the country. He said the committee will propose legislation in this regard so that such criminal elements could be countered and their malicious activities could be monitored and stopped.

Senators Shahi Syed, Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Chaudhry Tanvir Khan and Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, and senior officials of Ministry of Interior and FIA also attended the meeting.