500 ex-officers with ‘secret info’ renounced citizenship

PAC seeks their details from NADRA; panel chairman says officials with dual nationality can be sidelined

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ISLAMABAD:

 

National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Chairman Tariq Malik on Wednesday told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament that around 500 officers, with “sensitive” information, had renounced their citizenship after their retirement from service and moved abroad.

The PAC, which met with MNA Noor Alam Khan in the chair, sought the list of the officers, who had renounced their citizenship.

The PAC chief said officers with dual citizenship could be sidelined.

Noor further asked Malik about the criteria for the appointment of the NADRA Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa director general.

He added that it was a sensitive position as K-P bordered with Afghanistan.

The PAC chief then ordered the removal of the NADRA K-P DG from his post.

The NADRA chairman told the panel that 43 people were fired from the institution for corruption and he was personally looking into the cases of 2,600 employees.

Noor instructed that the list of NADRA employees, who were reinstated after being sacked, be handed over to the PAC.

The committee also asked for the list of 380 Afghans deported from Dubai from whom Pakistani passports were recovered.

The committee chairman questioned how long would Pakistan host the Afghan refugees. “They have been living in the country for decades and chant slogans against Pakistan,” he added.

Shahida Akhtar Ali, a member of the committee, said the third generation of Afghans were also present in Pakistan. She added that they were sitting in front of the press club in Islamabad and the panel should be informed about the progress of the investigation in this connection.

Another member Barjees Tahir said the Afghan refugees should be sent back to their country.

The committee chairman said mistakes had been made in the past and questioned why the Afghan refugees were not restricted to their camps.

He added that those who raised anti-Pakistan slogans should be immediately expelled from the country.

The interior secretary conceded that the country’s policies on the Afghan refugees had not been satisfactory.

The official told the panel that the Afghan refugees had spread all over the country, but the instructions of the committee would be followed for this purpose.

Noor said they had served the Afghan refugees for 40 years and now they should go back to their country or remain confined to their camps.

Committee member Ahmad Hassan Dehar pointed out that Pakistani national identity cards had been issued to the Afghan refugees and this matter should be investigated.

Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, a member of the committee, said those Afghans, who had rioted during the cricket match in Sharjah, had Pakistani passports. He inquired what action had been taken against them.

The chairman said the details of the Afghans, who had rioted during the cricket match, should be provided to the committee.

Panel member Sheikh Rohail Asghar said the Afghan refugees should be sent back.

Noor directed the interior and states and frontier regions ministries that all Afghan refugees should be restricted to their camps and their businesses should be banned.

He added that Afghans were involved in most of the crimes that happened in Karachi.

On the occasion, the Islamabad IGP said the Afghans who were born in Pakistan were not refugees, but the interior ministry could shed more light aout their status.

The chairman said the PAC was giving the ministry a month to take steps for this purpose.

The interior secretary said the Afghan refugees could not be sent back because of international laws.

“These issues will be raised with the UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees],” he added.

The NADRA chairman said proof of registration card (PORs) had been issued to the Afghan refugees and their biometric verification was carried out while traveling in and out of the border districts of Balochistan.

As for the issue of the Afghan refugees possessing Pakistani identity cards, he added that the issue was being investigated.

The chairman said many Afghan refugees possessed Pakistani identity cards.

The NADRA chairman replied that this was a sensitive matter and if the PAC chairman had any details about it, he should share them with his department.