ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Wednesday said that the November 01 deadline is not limited to Afghans, but applies to all foreigners illegally residing in Pakistan.
“After November 01, only passport and visa [holders] will be allowed to enter Pakistan,” he said. He was briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Interior which met with Mohsin Aziz in the chair here on Wednesday.
Bugti said that the ultimatums related to the expulsion of foreigners are for all foreigners, the impression that only Afghan citizens are being expelled is wrong. We talked about expelling people who are illegally in Pakistan, but a message went that maybe only Afghan citizens are being expelled, he added.
The government’s message is not only for Afghan citizens but for all illegal residents. It is not allowed in any country to settle illegally. He said that if someone has a refugee card or a visa, then they are our guests. He said that the impression is being given that this is an ethnic issue but it is not an ethnic issue, we are talking about evicting all illegal residents.
He said that he was not aware of the issue of Biharis living illegally in the country, but he will look into the matter. It has been decided to evict the people living illegally from Pakistan. The caretaker interior minister said that in no country does it happen that someone comes and sits illegally. Does it happen in any other country where someone comes illegally and stays permanently, he asked.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Bugti said that no extension has been proposed for the date of November 1 given to the people residing illegally in the country to leave the country. From November, it has to be ensured that anyone who comes to this country will be required to bring a passport. Efforts are being made to make this issue linguistic, but we will not allow anyone who is living in Pakistan illegally.
He said that neither any diplomatic intervention is being done nor there is a need for it. He said that if the Western countries are so sensitive about their citizens, so for us, Pakistanis are above all.
Earlier, the Committee, unanimously, passed the bill titled, “The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023” aimed at enhancing the time period of punishment for offences including false accusations and malicious criminal prosecution by amending Section 182 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Schedule-II of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, the mover of the bill, stated that the increasing trend of false accusations and malicious criminal prosecution has become an alarming issue these days. The bill aims to enhance the time period of punishment for these offenses by amending Section 182 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Schedule-II of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The Senate Committee, unanimously, passed the bill titled, “The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023.” Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, the mover of the bill, stated that the increasing trend of false accusations and malicious criminal prosecution has become an alarming issue these days. The bill aims to enhance the time period of punishment for these offenses by amending Section 182 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Schedule-II of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Additionally, the committee, unanimously, passed the bill titled, “The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) (Amendment) Bill, 2023” with amendments. Senator Dr Humayun Mohmand, the mover of the bill, argued that the bill makes DNA tests mandatory and compels every police officer to test the rape victim upon examination. He added that the aim of the bill is to address the loopholes that allow offenders to escape justice.
The Senate body deliberated on the bill titled, “The Rehriban (Street Vendors) Livelihood Protection Bill, 2023.”
Senator Sania Nishtar, the mover of the bill, argued that there are approximately one million street vendors in Pakistan, which are currently regulated by Municipal Corporations and generate around Rs 900 billion in revenue annually.
She added that the aim of the bill is to protect the rights of street vendors against the unholy nexus of police officials, municipal staff, and shopkeepers. Senator Mohsin Aziz directed the CDA and the Interior Ministry to submit a detailed report on the bill within the next 10 to 15 days.
While discussing the problems confronted by thousands of Biharis residing in Karachi Malir in obtaining CNICs, Syed Agha Rafiullah, a former MNA, stated that it is unfortunate that Biharis have sacrificed their lives for this country and chose to stay in Pakistan during the East Pakistan separation, yet the nation fails to recognize Biharis as citizens.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Interior Sarfraz Bugti has decided to conduct a meeting on the matter at the Interior Ministry and invited the former MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah for consultation and the appropriate resolution of the matter.
Furthermore, the Senate committee took up the matter of the non-issuance of a notification for the upgrading of the position of Database Administrator from BPS-17 to BPS-18 and the induction of services into the regular cadre. Officials explained that the individual initially worked in the National Aliens Registration Authority (NARA) as a Database Administrator in BPS-17 and decided to join Nadra upon the merger, subsequently, being promoted to deputy director BPS-18 in 2018. Furthermore, the Establishment Division upgraded the position of database administrator from BPS-17 to BPS-18.
However, the petitioner submitted an application for the merger of their services into the Ex-DGR or a separate cadre, and this petition was rejected by the court and the chairman Nadra. The committee disposed of the matter.
The committee discussed the matter of public importance regarding the closure of Nadra Registration Centers in DashtKuddan and DashtBalngivor, Tehsil Dast, District Ketch, Balochistan. Nadra officials explained that the centres could not be opened due to pending security clearance from the Interior Ministry and the centers will be functional in November of this year.
The committee directed the Interior Ministry to provide appropriate security for the efficient operation of Nadra centers located in DashtKuddan and DastBalngivor.
The committee also took up the matter of the open sale and purchase of narcotics in the areas of Ibrahim Haideri, District Malir, Karachi.
The chairman committee directed the law enforcement agencies to play a proactive role in the eradication of the menace of drugs and submit a report on the matter in the next meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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