48 new border posts constructed on Pak-Afghan border, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed Friday that forty eight additional border posts have been constructed on Pak-Afghan border to curb smuggling.

Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Dr. Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla, while replying to a question, said that after the start of Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fassad, the smuggling of illegal weapons has been curtailed in the country.

Replying to another question, he said the government has taken a number of steps to give maximum protection to journalists so that they could perform their duties without any fear or threat.

Dhandla maintained that all the Station House Officers (SHO) in Islamabad have been directed to register the case on receipt of any complaint by any journalists without delay.

Similarly, mobile patrolling has also been increased in areas where offices of journalists, press clubs and residences are situated.

Dr. Muhammad Afzal Khan said during the last four years, four cases have been registered regarding attack on journalists within federal capital.

To another question, Parliamentary Secretary for Interior told the House that total number of CNICs issued is more than 114.19 million in the country. Of these, 63.42 million are in Punjab, 23.75 million in Sindh, 15.18 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4.33 million in Balochistan, FATA 2.55, Gilgit Baltistan 671,000, and Azad Kashmir 2.92 million.

He said government is facilitating people to get their particulars registered at NADRA after attaining the age of 18. He added that there is no policy to issue identity cards to aliens.