NA body rejects NADRA Amendment Bill for restoration of blocked CNICs

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior has rejected National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) Amendment Bill urging procedural changes for the restoration of blocked national identity cards, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

A session of NA Standing Committee on Interior was held under the chair of Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz where NADRA Amendment Bill came under discussion.

The body has rejected the bill citing changes in the process for restoration of blocked computerised national identity cards (CNICs).

The rejection was made after the briefing of acting chairman of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), who opposed the requirement of the bill.

The official said that the repatriation process of Afghan refugees has been started which would take two to three years for its completion.

He said that the institution was already implementing the procedures mentioned in the presented bill.

Abdul Akbar Chitrali expressed outrage over the briefing, saying that assemblies should be closed if all recommendations were being implemented as per the official’s claims.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) legislator Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, who presented the bill, lodged a protest and walked out of the session.

Moreover, Director General Passport Ishrat Ali told the committee that the department was not establishing new offices as it has established passport offices in every district.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) legislator Syed Agha Rafiullah objected Ali, saying that he should spot the location of passport office in Malir district.

Ali responded that he had paid a visit to Malir’s passport office last month. Rafiullah said he would like to challenge through committee’s chairman that no passport office exists in Malir district.

The NA body, after completion of briefings by the officials of the concerned department, rejected the NADRA Amendment Bill.