Daily Times

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday unanimously adopted resolutions in which they condemned the use of indiscriminate use of pellets and tear gas by Indian forces on peaceful processions on Ashura in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Through such inhuman attitude by Indian forces could not stop innocent Kashmiris to raise their voice for peaceful resolution of the issue. The resolution asked the international community to play their role in resolving the issue of Kashmir dispute. Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A Rehman Malik said that 402 days have passed of Indian brutal curfew in Indian Occupied Kashmir adding since day first this committee has been marking these days as ‘Dark Days’ in the history of mankind and expressing solidarity with Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are struggling for their legitimate right of self-determination under UNSC Resolutions.

Chairman of the Committee moved a resolution which was unanimously adopted by the members. He read the resolution as “Senate Standing Committee on Interior appreciates the Ministry of Interior and all Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to maintain law and order and security during Muharram all over the country.

Rehman Malik also appreciated the Ministry of Interior for the identification of issuance of 6000 illegal visas to the foreign nationals who have been declared illegal. Committee through a resolution which was moved by Chairman unanimously demanded strict action under the law against those who are responsible for granting illegal visas to the foreign nations by putting our national security at risk. The committee directed the Ministry of Interior to devise a clear comprehensive policy of deportation of illegal immigrants in the national interest.

Secretary Interior informed the Committee that some officials of the ministry who have been involved in the issuance of the illegal visas to the foreigners have already been suspended and further investigation is underway. Chairman Senator A. Rehman Malik said that issuance of illegal visas is the violation of Section 14-C of the Foreigner Act putting national security of Pakistan at stake. He said it is a highly serious matter that should be interrogated from every aspect so the illegal influx of foreign nationals could be averted. He directed the Ministry of Interior to constitute a high level committee to probe this matter and present a compressive report to the committee in its next meeting.

The Committee thoroughly considered and discussed issue of “The Large number of Foreigners Living in the Province of Sindh have Illegally been issued CNICs by NADRA with particular reference to foreigners living all over the Country” raised by Senator Sassui Palijo in the House 10th January, 2020. Senator Sassui Palijo said that according to her information about one million CNIC have been issued to foreign nationals living in Sindh.

She said that illegal immigrants are fully getting benefits from the incompetence and callousness of the verifying agencies and district level committees. She added that presence of illegal immigrants in Sindh are one of the main causes of lawlessness, criminal activities and even burden on the provincial exchequer.

Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior fully endorsed the concerns expressed by Senator Sassui Palijo and said that all concerned DCOs should coordinate with other stockholders to identify the illegal immigrants and there is a need to implement Section 14C of the Foreigner Act in letter and spirits.

He constituted a sub-committee comprising of Snetaor Rana Maqbool Ahmed as convener and Senator Haji Momin Khan Afridi and Senator Kalsoom Parveen as its members to find out the real cause of getting CNICs by the illegal emigrants. He further directed that the Sub-Committee should point out the lacunas in the Foreigner Act so that only bonafide Pakistanis could get CNICs. Chairman Committee directed Chairman NADRA to take disciplinary action against those employees who are involved in this heinous crime.