Latest news with #TalalChaudhry
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt denies bias in CNICs verification
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has said that the government has taken robust measures to curb the misuse of identity documents and emphasised that no provincial discrimination occurred during the national verification campaigns of family trees and Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). Responding to questions from senators during the upper house session the other day, the minister stated that over 5,000 passports issued to individuals falsely claiming Pakistani nationality were detected abroad, mainly in Saudi Arabia, and subsequently surrendered by the holders themselves, admitting they were not Pakistani citizens. Chaudhry said that investigations showed many of these identities were fraudulently inserted into family treeseither by NADRA staff involved in malpractice or by families deliberately including non-nationals for personal motives. He added that such fraudulent additions not only led to the issuance of CNICs but also facilitated the procurement of Pakistani passports for foreign nationals. To curb this misuse, nationwide verification campaigns were conducted by the Ministry of Interior in 2014 and 2019, aiming to cleanse the national database and validate family records. Furthermore, the government has set up a dual verification mechanism involving a district-level committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner and a Zonal Verification Board, which reviews flagged cases referred by law enforcement or intelligence agencies. Talal informed the house that no province-specific action was taken. "NADRA operates on a national basis, and we do not treat any region differently," he said. He acknowledged that the highest instances of identity misuse were observed in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but emphasized that the issue was not rooted in regional bias, rather in misuse of the system by certain individuals. To enhance transparency, NADRA also launched a public facilitation system, enabling citizens to verify their family trees via phone, and to report any unauthorised individuals linked to their records. Out of the total complaints received, 71,000 cases involved reports of individuals being included in family trees without consent. Chaudhry also confirmed that internal accountability measures have been taken, with 266 NADRA employees dismissed and others penalized following departmental inquiries. He stressed that officers across all ranks, including deputy directors, were held accountable, and criminal proceedings were initiated where necessary. He reassured the House that any case highlighted by parliamentarians would be re-examined and re-verified.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Pakistan to create new paramilitary force ahead of more protests by Imran Khan's party
ISLAMABAD, July 14 (Reuters) - Pakistan said on Monday it was creating a national paramilitary force, prompting concern among opposition parties and human rights groups that it could be used as a tool of political repression. The move turns an existing paramilitary force deployed on Pakistan's northwestern border with Afghanistan into a national security force that will be called the Federal Constabulary, State Minister for the Interior Talal Chaudhry told a press conference in the eastern city of Faisalabad. Its new duties will include internal security, riot control and counter-terrorism, according to a copy of the amended law reported by the local Dunya News TV. The announcement came after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former jailed Prime Minister Imran Khan said it would stage nationwide protests starting on August 5, the second anniversary of his arrest. Several such protests since his August 2023 arrest have turned violent, in some cases paralysing the capital Islamabad for days. "This will be a new force. This will be a stronger force. We need this force for internal security," Chaudhry said, adding that President Asif Ali Zardari had already approved amendments in the law introducing changes in the paramilitary force. The new force replaces the Frontier Constabulary (FC), whose cadres were previously recruited only from tribes in the northwestern province, Chaudhry said. Training of the new force will bring it into line with other national law enforcement agencies, he added. Khan's party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said the changes should be subject to parliamentary discussion. The new force "should not be used as a gimmick to silence political opponents, as has been previously witnessed when the government applied such laws against a large number of the PTI leadership and supporters," he said. His concern was echoed by Haris Khalique, secretary of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent body. "We are alarmed by the changes being made to the security and law enforcement structure of the country without any debate in parliament," Khalique said.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan to create new paramilitary force ahead of more protests by Imran Khan's party
Pakistan said on Monday it was creating a national paramilitary force, prompting concern among opposition parties and human rights groups that it could be used as a tool of political repression. The move turns an existing paramilitary force deployed on Pakistan's northwestern border with Afghanistan into a national security force that will be called the Federal Constabulary, State Minister for the Interior Talal Chaudhry told a press conference in the eastern city of Faisalabad. Its new duties will include internal security, riot control and counter-terrorism, according to a copy of the amended law reported by the local Dunya News TV. The announcement came after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former jailed prime minister Imran Khan said it would stage nationwide protests starting on August 5, the second anniversary of his arrest. Several such protests since his August 2023 arrest have turned violent, in some cases paralysing the capital Islamabad for days. "This will be a new force. This will be a stronger force. We need this force for internal security," Chaudhry said, adding that President Asif Ali Zardari had already approved amendments in the law introducing changes in the paramilitary force. The new force replaces the Frontier Constabulary (FC), whose cadres were previously recruited only from tribes in the northwestern province, Chaudhry said. Training of the new force will bring it into line with other national law enforcement agencies, he added. Khan's party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said the changes should be subject to parliamentary discussion. The new force "should not be used as a gimmick to silence political opponents, as has been previously witnessed when the government applied such laws against a large number of the PTI leadership and supporters," he said. His concern was echoed by Haris Khalique, secretary of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent body. "We are alarmed by the changes being made to the security and law enforcement structure of the country without any debate in parliament," Khalique said.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
MPs decry 'unlivable' Parliament Lodges
Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, found himself in an uncomfortable and difficult position on Friday as several senators expressed strong frustration over the deteriorating condition of the Parliament Lodges during a meeting of the Senate House Committee. Lawmakers, visibly upset, raised multiple complaints with the minister, criticising the appalling state of infrastructure, lack of maintenance, and overall mismanagement at the lodges. Chaudhry too voiced his concerns, saying, "I'm personally troubled by a female parliamentarian living upstairs who has installed water taps in the stairwell. Someone, please have those taps removed." It was disclosed during the meeting that not even a single light bulb has been replaced in two years, while a former female senator left Parliament Lodges without paying Rs1.7 million in outstanding electricity and gas bills. The Senate House Committee meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan Nasar. During the session, Minister Talal Chaudhry responded to senators' questions. Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials briefed the committee, stating they had received 48 requests from parliamentarians for repairs, AC installations, and other work at the lodges, claiming work is underway and being carried out in line with PPRA rules. They added that 12-13 suites have been made habitable. However, Senator Kamil Ali Agha rejected the CDA's presentation, calling it "completely false." He alleged that no actual work is being done. Chairman Nasir said that action would be taken against those who haven't completed work in the past 16 months. Senator Poonjo Mal Bheel too complained that the sanitation system in Parliament Lodges is practically nonexistent, with visible filth everywhere. While the CDA DG is polite, he said, their performance is "zero." Minister Talal Chaudhry added that the Interior Minister has already suggested to the National Assembly Speaker that if CDA cannot do the job, the responsibility should be handed over to another agency. Work on 104 lodges is about to begin, and if funds are released, it will be completed in six months. "Contractors haven't been paid in two years. Following the Speaker's instructions, all senators' lodges will be repaired simultaneously. The tender for 104 lodges will be issued within two days, and lodges must be vacated for four months to carry out the work," he said. Senator Khalil Tahir Sindhu raised another concern, stating that his lodge was given to a fellow female senator at the request of the Deputy Chairman. She vacated the premises overnight without paying utility bills worth Rs1.7m — Rs1.3m for electricity and Rs470,000 for gas. "I can't pay this bill," he added. Chairman Nasir responded that she is the daughter of a former Deputy Chairman of the Senate and that he personally asked her to clear the dues.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Arab News
Pakistan launches vehicle emissions testing in Islamabad to combat air pollution
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched emissions testing for vehicles entering the federal capital, Islamabad, in a bid to reduce air pollution and improve air quality, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Friday. The move follows the launch of the emission testing system in the country's most populous Punjab province in May, the first initiative of its kind ever taken in the country. Emissions testing for vehicles is a process that measures the pollutants released from a vehicle's exhaust to ensure compliance with environmental standards. It evaluates the levels of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. 'The greatest damage caused to the environment is through vehicle emissions,' Chaudhry said while speaking to the media. 'Such testing has never been conducted before in Islamabad, but it has been initiated now,' he continued, adding that every car would be checked according to international standards before being certified. Chaudhry announced the government would first inspect official vehicles before expanding the initiative to private vehicles. 'No smoke emitting vehicle will be allowed to enter Islamabad,' he added. 'If it enters, there will be a fine, cars will be impounded and it will be dealt according to law.' Earlier this year in June, Pakistan unveiled its Electric Vehicle Policy 2025–2030, setting a target for 30 percent of all new vehicle sales to be electric by the end of the decade. The policy, which covers cars, buses, motorcycles and rickshaws, aims to accelerate Pakistan's transition to sustainable transport, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and curb climate-warming emissions. Pakistan imports the majority of its energy, and its urban centers rank among the most polluted in the world, primarily due to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. This severe air pollution poses a serious threat to public health, undermines economic productivity and diminishes the quality of life for millions of residents.
