The Senate Standing Committee on Interior Tuesday asked Ministry of Interior to brief it within two weeks with respect to implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) devised to counter terrorism in the country. The parliamentary body, which met here with Senator Rehman Malik in the chair, expressed serious concern over abrupt rise in incidents of terrorism in Balochistan. "Two terror activities occurred in Balochistan province within three days wherein eight people lost their lives," Malik said, adding that the government should take the new wave of terrorism in Balochistan seriously and implement NAP on immediate basis.
The committee strongly condemned terrorist attacks on Pearl Continental Hotel Gwadar and other parts Balochistan and offered prayer for the martyrs. Malik said that anti-state elements are trying to weaken Pakistan through terrorism in Balochistan.
The parliamentary body recommended the government to strengthen security of sensitive places in Balochistan in particular and other parts of the country in general. The committee also expressed concern over missing persons and sought a report from the Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearances. "We are standing firm with the families of missing persons and equally share their grief," Malik said, adding that it was stated following Gwadar attack that a missing person namely Hamal Khan was among the attackers. "Later it was revealed that the news related to Hamal Khan was fake," he added.
While briefing the committee about Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (MCI), Secretary Interior Major Azam Suleman Khan (retd) said that there are no differences between Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and Capital Development Authority (CDA). "Local government laws have so far not been implemented," he said, adding that the matter had been forwarded to the former interior minister and then had been sent to the federal cabinet.
The committee also asked the Interior Ministry to share details of funds transferred by the CDA to the MCI. The committee should be informed as how much funds would be transferred to the MCI, he said, adding that funds should be transferred within 15 days to the MCI.
Mayor Islamabad Sheikh Anser Aziz said that under the law rights of all the CDA employees are fully protected. "No step has been taken in violation of law," he said. He said that differences between the MCI and CDA still exist over the formation of the MCI Board. Under the law, chief commissioner Islamabad is the head of the local government board, the CDA official said.
Chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Usman Mobin said that over 200,000 applicants have filed applications for obtaining computerised national identity cards (CNICs). The NADRA issues 68,000 CNICs to applicants on daily basis, he said.
The committee recommended setting up special cell at the NADRA for addressing public complaints. The NADRA receives 200 complaints on daily basis, Mobin said, adding that over 8,000 complaints have so far been received through Prime Minister's Complaint Cell. He said that the NADRA addresses public complaints within one day.
He said that the people include Afghan nationals in their family trees for getting money. The NADRA has changed system for registration of the family, he added. The committee directed NADRA to set up a complaint cell at United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy. Overseas Pakistanis are facing problems in getting their CNICs, he said, adding that the NADRA should resolve problems of overseas Pakistanis on immediate basis.
Malik said that the committee had asked chief commissioner Islamabad and inspector general of police (IGP) during the previous meeting to brief the committee about the construction of firing range in the US Embassy compound. The construction of firing range and weapon centre by any embassy is very sensitive matter, Malik said.
He said that the Ministry of Interior and police have so for not submitted any written report before the committee about the construction of firing range in the US Embassy compound. Malik said that the police have told him that firing range has not been constructed in the US embassy but it was set up in Police Training Centre.
"Question arises under which law police signed memorandum of understanding with the US embassy to set up a firing range at Police Training Centre," Malik said, adding that the police should inform the committee from whom they obtained permission for setting up of firing range. Senators including Muhammad Javed Abbasi, General Abdul Qayyum (retd), Chaudhry Tanveer, Momin Khan Afridi, Muhammad Yaqub, Perveen Kalsoom and Dr Waseem Shehzad attended the meeting.
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