RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances has directed the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony and Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to sit together and come up with a workable solution to ensure the stoppage of desecration of holy verses of the Holy Quran which are printed in newspapers.

The committee met with Muhammad Afzal Khokhar in the chair at the Parliament Lodges here on Thursday.

The Secretary Information, Secretary Religious Affairs and Secretary CII informed the committee that they held a meeting to chalk out a plan to safeguard the sanctity of the holy verses of the Holy Quran being printed in newspapers.

They said that All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) have agreed to publish a note on the newspapers to give due respect to the holy papers and the holy names printed in the newspapers.

It is pertinent to mention here that on November 10, 2016 the Standing Committee on Government Assurances had directed “that the desecration of holy verses of the Holy Quran which are printed in the newspapers be stopped. However, the members said the only translation of the holy verses should be printed in the newspapers and the hawkers and readers should take care and respect the printed holy names and translation of Holy Quran. After discussion, the issue was disposed of.

It was observed by the committee that secretary SAFRON was regularly attending the meeting. However, the Secretary Cabinet and Chairman NADRA did not attend the meeting. So, the committee took serious notice and directed Secretary Interior and Chairman NADRA to attend the next meeting in person.

The committee appreciated the performance of the Secretary SAFRON for his interest to solve the issue of registration of foreigners living in the country as refugees. The committee directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) that the issue of blocking of the computerised national identity cards (CNICs) of Pakistani citizens should be solved on priority basis. The NADRA has blocked CNICs of some people due to the issue of Afghan refugees who had managed to get fake cards.

The committee directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to boost up the development work and hold regular meetings to solve the issue of development of Sector E-12 and report the committee on the daily basis.

The committee has appointed a sub-committee under the convenership of Abdul Majeed Khan Khanan Khail, whereas Malik Ibrar Ahmed and Sardar Muhammad Irfan Dogar will be members of the subcommittee. The sub-committee will monitor the progress of the CDA and submit its report in fifteen days.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Abdul Majeed Khan Khanan Khail, Sardar Muhammad Irfan Dogar, Chaudhry Muhammad Munir Azhar, Malik Ibrar Ahmed, Rajab Ali Khan Baloch, Shafqat Mahmood, Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani and Sher Akbar Khan.