FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Friday observed that overseas Pakistanis, especially those who are seeking foreign employment in GCC countries, are facing a lot of problems in getting National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), therefore necessary legislation should be done to exempt them from the requirement of having NICOP.

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, which met with Senator Abdul Rehman Malik in the chair, discussed the problems faced by overseas Pakistanis in getting NICOP and observed that necessary legislation should be done in this regard as many Pakistani and also members of the committee are considering it as unnecessary.

Chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Usman Mobin told the committee about the closure of a NADRA office in Balochistan and about issuance of NICOP to Pakistani migrants. He said that NADRA had closed one of its offices in Balochistan due to security reasons.

Mobin informed the meeting that the NADRA is issuing NICOP to Pakistani expatriates in accordance with Computerised National Identity Card (NIC) rules to those Pakistanis who are proceeding abroad on employment visa.

Senator Syed Shibli Faraz said that overseas Pakistani should be allowed to pay NICOP fee in local currency instead of foreign currency.

Malik said that he has received many complaints about the non-cooperation of NDRA employees in facilitating the applicants as well as blocked CNICs from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). “It can be considered as discrimination if CNICs of Pashtuns are being blocked only due to problems by Afghan refugees,” he said.

He further said that a specific time limit should be announced for unblocking CNICs.

Malik directed the chairman NADRA to make it sure that the CNICs of original citizens of Pakistan be unblocked as soon as possible. On knowing the threats to NADRA officials in some areas of Balochistan for which the offices of NADRA were closed, the committee directed the secretary interior that security may be provided to the NADRA officials at their offices so that the closed offices could be reopened soon.

Senator Shahi Syed said the NADRA officials in Karachi did not cooperate with people and they are creating hurdles for them instead of facilitating the applicants. “Situation will not improve in NADRA regional offices until and unless the top management takes action against the officials who use various tactics to tease public,” he said.

Director General (DG) Immigration and Passport (I&P), Usman Bajwa while briefing the committee said that I&P network comprises a total of 162 regional passport offices across the country and at 84 foreign mission. “During last 18 months, the I&P directorates have been set up in 68 districts and 53 foreign missions,” he said, adding that the directorate has issued 4.5 million passports and generated Rs20.8 billion revenue in 2015-16.

The committee also strongly condemned the unfortunate incident of torture on Tayyaba, a ten-year-old domestic maid.

Malik said that child labour is against Pakistani and International laws even if one treats the employed child humanly and kindly.

The committee applauded the Supreme Court of Pakistan for taking the suo moto notice of the incident as such heartbreaking incidents are not only against laws but they also bring bad name to Pakistan.

Malik condemned the incident of pelting police and CDA employees with stones by land grabbers and drug smugglers during operation in Quaid-e-Azam University. “No stone will be left unturned in making the educational institutions of the country free of drugs,” he said.

The committee directed secretary interior to submit a report to the committee on the cases so far registered against those who are manufacturing and supplying toxic liquor that has taken so many lives across the country and most recently 47 people died of it in Toba Tek Singh.

Shahi Syed has suggested death penalty for politicians who drink liquor and those who are involved in preparing toxic liqour.

On this Malik said that all politicians should undergo a DNA test and it should be declared whether or not someone ever consumed liquor prior to contesting an election.

Shahi Syed said if this happens, majority of politicians would be disqualified.

Javed Abbasi said whoever produces and sells moonshine, it is illegal but there is a need to implement strictly the relevant laws.

Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi, senior official of Ministry of Interior and NADRA, and the DG Passport also attended the meeting.