If amnesty is giving to billionaires involved in money laundering, why not to CNIC holders?
ISLAMABAD: NADRA is doing a great job. It is unfair to deny credit that rightfully belongs to any organisation. On certain occasions, however, this sensitive organ of the state becomes more efficient than normally necessary. One such case is related to national amnesty to CNIC holders, including Pakistanis and foreigners who acquired such documents illegally. The amnesty scheme requires such card holders to surrender the controversial identity cards for cancellation barring, of course, the holders who are involved or charged with anti-state activities. If there is nothing incriminatory against the applicants seeking cancellation the said cards should be cancelled forthwith without hassle or unnecessary rigmarole.
Pakistan should be made a comfortable place to live for all nationalities who have legal residential permits. Pakistan need not become President Donald Trump’s America making life miserable for all human beings. If we want humane treatment from others, we are supposed to treat others humanely. If amnesty is given to billionaires involved in tax evasion and money laundering, why should national amnesty accorded to CNIC holders become controversial if national security is not compromised in any case?
Reactive policies are not the solution for our hardships. Cancellation of illegal cards under the amnesty scheme should not divert our attention from major issues. Let us rise to confront great challenges instead of wasting time on relatively non-issues. If the national amnesty scheme cannot be implemented smoothly, why not revoke it and send all controversial card holders behind bars? I hope the interior minister will facilitate a solution to the problem.
Bashir Malik
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2017.
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