Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi Friday vowed that there would no compromise on the national security and that every step would be taken to make Pakistan a secure and safe country.

Responding to a calling attention notice in the National Assembly, the minister expressed the resolve to make the country a cradle of peace, adding that all state institutions would be utilized to ensure security for every citizen. He said that all the intelligence agencies and other relevant institutions are working in close coordination to ensure security of the people. He said that the tribal people would also be taken on board to address their genuine complaints and protect their rights.

Afridi said that a new special unit in NADRA would be constituted to address the issue of blocked computerized national identity cards (CNIC) on emergency basis. He said the issue of blocked CNICs had also been discussed in the federal cabinet and government had devised a comprehensive policy to address it. He said the government would not compromise on the issue of country’s security. “We have only one agenda: there will be no compromise on the issue of country’s security … we will not bow down … we will make the country secure no matter if we have to take some tough decisions.”

“Total number of CNICs in FATA are 2,839,819 and out of which 6,824 are blocked. About 6,546 cards are from Pakhtoon community while 278 of such cards belonged to the members of other communities,” he said. “In 2017, total number of blocked CNICs in FATA was 12,056 while the number in 2018 declined to 6,824,” he added.

Afridi said that total number of CNICs in the country is over 140 million out of which 181,270 are blocked due to various reasons. Giving province-wise data of blocked cards of the Pakhtoon community, he said 16,678 cards are blocked in Sindh, 13,951 in Punjab, 44,231 in KP, 2,526 in Islamabad, 10 in GB, 6,824 in FATA, 18,287 in Balochistan, 486 in AJK while 266 are overseas Pakistanis.

Later, the Lower House resumed discussion on “The Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill, 2018”. Aliya Kamran said the present government has overburdened the people with more taxes. She said the cut on development expenditures will increase unemployment in the country. She said the government should reduce the energy prices.

Minister for Power Division Omar Ayub Khan said the circular debt has climbed to 1,300 billion rupees due to the flawed policies of the previous government which paid no attention towards addressing the issue of pilferage.

Naz Baloch was critical of the government’s decision to lease out the building of Radio Pakistan. She said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) always established important institutions including that of Pakistan Steel Mills, and gave the country a unanimous constitution.

Asma Habib said that Finance Minister Asad Umer has presented a practical budget keeping in view the economic situation of the country. Abdul Akbar Chitrali said the supplementary budget has already pushed up the prices of essential commodities.

Rana Tanveer Hussain said the PTI government had promised to give jobs to the youth but it has started the process of laying off employees from different organizations.

The House was adjourned to meet again on Monday at 4:30 pm.

Published in Daily Times, September 29^th 2018.