Nisar orders plan on FIA split-up

Interior minister seeks proposals from NADRA chief to resolve POC issue

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed the secretary interior to prepare a comprehensive strategy paper within a week for separation of the Immigration department from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

“The immigration and border management all over the world are independent and specialised subjects that need to be separated from the FIA which is primarily tasked with investigation of white-collar crimes,” Nisar was quoted as saying in a statement issued after a high level meeting.



The meeting, chaired by the interior minister, was attended by secretary interior, advocate general, the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman, Islamabad’s chief commissioner and senior officers of ministry and the FIA.

Nisar said modernised immigration and border management departments would streamline the process of effective monitoring of Pakistan's entry and exit points through air, sea and land routes.

The minister also directed NADRA chief to submit concrete proposals within 24 hours for resolving the issue of Pakistan Origin Card (POC).

The POC is issued to Pakistani nationals who surrender their nationality; to foreign nationals, married to a Pakistan citizen; to people whose parents or grandparents are of Pakistani origin or nationality as well as foreign nationals whose relatives are or were Pakistani nationals.



Nisar took notice of the ‘exaggerated reports’ about rise in fee charged by NADRA for the overseas Pakistanis and directed NADRA chief to clarify the authority’s position at all forums, especially before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in pending suo moto case.

While briefing the minister on the issue, NADRA chairman said there has been no increase in NADRA’s service charges since 2012. “Under the present government with the validity period of each card significantly enhanced, the total cost of the card has in fact reduced,” he claimed.

With regard to a case about acquisition of land in Tama Morian for a private housing society, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration informed the minister that under the law it cannot acquire the land for the purpose.

The minister – while directing the secretary interior and chief commissioner to submit their legal position before the court – observed that the instance of land acquisition by the ICT for a private housing society would set a bad precedent with negative administrative implications.

“Such a practice will be tantamount to misuse of state authority at the cost of the rights of genuine land owners,” Nisar reportedly said.