MNAs urge govt to withdraw condition of producing CNICs

PPP lawmaker warns legal citizens may find themselves being screened out from the census

ISLAMABAD: The opposition in the lower house has called upon the government to revise its condition of producing a Computerised National Identity Card in the upcoming census, which it said was ‘illegal’ and could deprive legal citizens of their nationality.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, PPP lawmaker Naveed Qamar said it would be unfair to expect people to produce a computerised national identity card during the upcoming census. “Families living in remote areas do not usually have CNICs,” Qamar claimed. The PPP leader vowed to challenge the move.



He said if the policy is not changed soon, legal citizens of Pakistan may find themselves being screened out from the census.

Pointing out that the census is being conducted after many years, he said there were several major decisions including the NFC Award and the delimitation of the constituencies that were actually riding on it. The move for attaching CNICs with the census would further increase the population of northern Punjab while it would deprive areas like Balochistan, which already has limited seats on the basis of its population.

Qamar questioned what would happen to the Burmese living in interior Sindh if the policy was followed in spirit.

Harassment of women

Lawmakers demanded action against women harassment at state-run broadcaster Pakistan Television. Members of both the treasury and opposition benches have called upon the government to make the working environment conducive for women workers at the state-run television channel.

While responding to the resolution moved by Begum Tahira Bukhari for improving the performance of PTV, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Shazia Marri demanded that the two women employees of PTV who had complained of harassment should be reinstated while action must be taken against the director of current affairs who is accused of harassing these workers.

Adulteration in milk

Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Baleeghur Rehman informed the house that a food authority was being set up in the federal capital to ensure provision of quality edible items to citizens.



He admitted that unfortunately there were reports of milk toxicity, adulteration and use of illegal methods to get additional production from buffaloes and cows. “This is a matter of great concern for all,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2017.