Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator A Rehman Malik during the committee’s meeting on Monday took serious notice of the matter wherein NADRA has instructed its staff in written to “send Pashto speaking towards help desk for a proper interview”.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of A Rehman Malik at the Parliament House and was attended among others by Senator Javed Abbasi, Senator Shahi Syed, Senator Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini and Senator Seher Kamran.

Shahi Syed took up the issue of the instructions by NADRA to its staff wherein they are directed to send Pashto speaking towards help desk for a proper interview before a token issuance.

Terming it highly condemnable and derogatory, the chairman directed the Interior Secretary to investigate into the matter, to take back the instructions immediately and also directed NADRA chairman to appear before the committee and explain as to why such instructions were being passed.

He said that everyone was equal and deserved respect and no such discrimination based on language, colour, creed, caste or anything else would be tolerable.

Syed expressed grave concerns over the issuance of such instructions and said that the move had hurt the feelings of the Pashtun.

Rehman Malik said applicants could be from any province so there was no logic in mentioning Pashtuns in particular.

The committee considered and discussed different bills in detail, however The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Protection of Rights of Transgender Persons Bill 2017 moved by Senator Rubina Khalid was withdrawn and disposed off.

The committee also considered The Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Interest on Private Loans) Bill, 2017 moved by Senator Sirajul Haq.

With the consent of the mover, the bill was referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology and deferred and forwarded for next keeping considering its importance.

The Balochistan Frontier Corps submitted a detailed report on Gharang Check Post of FC in Balochistan due to which long queues of vehicles daily routine are causing great problem to the people of the area.

The issue was moved by Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah and the committee was satisfied by the briefing of FC as the road was extended and the trouble of the people was minimised after the issue taken by the committee. FC briefing said that a hospital was also established near the check post for facilitation of the passengers.

Published in Daily Times, March 6^th 2018.