ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the Senate Committee on Interior that last year, FIA seized Rs5.593 billion in Hawala and Hundi transactions, recovered 6097 acres of Evacuees Trust land, saved 819.84 million electricity units, and investigated 45,080 connections to address allegations of overbilling by distribution companies (Discos).
The Senate committee decided to hold a separate meeting to discuss issues related to overbilling by the Discos. The meeting of the Senate Committee on Interior was held with the chair of its Chairman Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman here at Parliament House on Thursday. The committee gave approval of three bills ‘The Fatal Accidents (Amendment) Bill, 2024’, ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024’ and ‘The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024.’
Senator Shahadat, the mover of ‘The Fatal Accidents (Amendment) Bill, 2024’, stated that the bill seeks to ensure speedy justice and enable legal heirs of the victims to receive compensation in case of death due to fatal accidents.
The Committee also passed the Bill titled “The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024”. The bill seeks to insert Section 59A in the CRPC and amend sections 431 and 431A.
Senator Shahdat Awan, the bill’s mover, stated that the aim of the bill is to make it obligatory for law enforcement agencies under Section 59A to inform the accused of the charges under which they have been arrested. However, Section 431A provides the right to the family of an accused facing a defamation suit to defend the case after the accused’s death.
Moreover, the committee passed the Bill titled “The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024”. Senator Shahadat Awan, the bill’s mover, explained that the bill provides the option of a bank guarantee as security, in addition to cash and promissory notes, for persons seeking bail.
Furthermore, the committee was briefed by Nadra Chairman Lt. General Munir Afsar on the Nadra operations and performance. He explained that Nadra’s role includes providing identification services to customers domestically and abroad, and that Nadra processed 15.8 million cards last year.
The Senate committee raised concerns about fake CNICs issued to Afghan nationals. The Nadra Chairman clarified that Nadra terminated the services of 629 employees found guilty of issuing fake CNICs to Afghans and prevented 3.8 million attempts to obtain CNICs through illegal means.
Lt. General Munir Afsar, while giving a briefing on the performance of Nadra, said that Nadra has created a WhatsApp channel which has 1.6 million followers. He said that the rules say that it is necessary to make a card for every citizen for 19 years and 3 months, otherwise there will be a punishment, in case of not making an identity card and there is a fine of Rs50000 and one year in prison. “So Far no one was punished for not having an identity card,” he told the committee. He said that the problem in Pakistan is that the laws of each province are different, they are not harmonized. “Nadra should have the data of the citizens registered with the Union Council and make identity cards,” he said.
Nadra chairman said that 70 million people have a smartphone in Pakistan and it has been 25 years since Nadra was established and 15 years since computerized identity card came, 150,000 cases of name change are pending in the courts.
The Senate committee commended Nadra for its efforts in curbing fake CNIC issuance.
During the session, DG FIA informed the committee that FIA operates throughout the country except in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). It was told to the FIA is committed to combating corruption, money laundering, and cybercrime nationwide.
Last year, FIA seized Rs5.593 billion in Hawala and Hundi transactions, recovered 6097 acres of Evacuees Trust land, saved 819.84 million electricity units, and investigated 45,080 connections to address allegations of overbilling by distribution companies (Discos).
The committee decided to hold a separate meeting to discuss issues related to overbilling by the Discos. The DG FIA told the committee that Pakistan sent back 665,000 Afghans while 70 cases of blasphemy and 518 cases of online harassment registered last year. While discussing the performance of Immigration and Passport, DGI&P Mustafa Jamal Qazi informed the committee that the Passport and Immigration department earned revenue of Rs45 billion last year.
The committee inquired about the current status of backlogs in passport issuance. The DG Immigration and Passport highlighted that there is no backlog in the overseas category, but there is a backlog of 16.5 million applications in the normal category.
The committee chair directed the DG Passport and Immigration to provide details on official and diplomatic passports in the next meeting.
The committee was briefed by the CDA chairman on its recent initiatives. CDA chairman informed that the government is committed to making CDA a robust and essential organization with a more digitalized presence.
He highlighted that CDA recently digitalized its Human Resource department and identified 1200 ghost employees. Additionally, CDA signed an MoU with Baku team for the beautification of Islamabad and launched a city-wide plantation campaign.
Furthermore, CDA signed an MoU with the Punjab Land Record Authority for the digitalization of land records, expected to be completed this year. The Senate committee instructed CDA to provide details on ghost employees and recent allotments to employees.
In a tweet on X, Mashwani says his brothers Azhar Mashwani and Professor Zahoor Mashwani had got back home
Court says in its order that vehicle of PTI lawyers would be allowed to enter jail from outer gate after 10-minute...
Naqvi says that consultations with scholars and religious leaders have begun to eradicate the menace of terrorism.
He says APC on the question of Balochistan will be negation of parliamentary procedure and will be slur on the...
