The National Assembly’s (NA) Standing Committee on Interior, which met with Raja Khurram Nawaz in the chair on Monday, unanimously passed the Citizenship Law Amendment Bill. As per the amendment, no child of a foreigner born in Pakistan would be given the citizenship of the country.  DG Immigration and Passports, on the occasion, briefed the committee on the steps taken to ensure the issuance of passports without any delay. He said that for one whole year, his department kept demanding the Finance Ministry to release money since new printing machines had to be bought in place of old ones. “Now with 25 machines, our capacity has been enhanced.” The DG expressed the hope that the backlog of passports would be cleared in two to three weeks. “We earned Rs50 billion last year. And this year so far we have earned Rs20 billion.” He said the department was extremely short of funds. “We are given targets. But not funds,” the DG complained. He told the body that two new e-passport machines were also on their way.

The chairman said that now when the passports department was generating so much revenue, it should also be paid funds. “Either make the department a separate Authority or shift it to NADRA.” The committee members opposed the proposal to give powers to the police to take action against those involved in power pilferage.   The Power Division official, on the occasion, said that eliminating the practice of power theft was extremely necessary. “Right now, the government has to recover Rs1.8 trillion from power pilferers, which has not been recovered as yet.” Opposing the delegation of powers to the police, PTI MNA Zartaj Gul told the body that in her constituency, the Force attacked consumers on the pretext of checking. PPP MNA Nabeel Gabol said earlier cases were registered on petty issues such as taking away somebody’s buffalo. “Now these are registered for stealing electricity. A water operator, accused of being involved in power theft, was arrested in Karachi. And he died three months later in prison,” he lamented.

The Ministry of Law official said that the police could take action on the complaint of a power distribution company officer. “The police and company officers will together crack down on power pilferers,” he added. Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) Sahibzada Hamid Raza informed the committee that FIAs had been registered against nine MNAs for stealing electricity. PML-N’s Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that in several parts of the country, people did not pay their electricity bills. Additional Secretary Power Division said until and unless powers were given, there could be no recovery. “We don’t have the system of enforcement,” he said, and added, “Even the power distribution companies employees have been found involved in power pilferage. We have chargesheeted 786 employees so far. And soon they will be fired.” “Now you pass the bill,” the additional secretary requested the body. But the chairman refused to do so.   The committee chairman said ordinary people were picked up on charges of power theft, but not those who were powerful and affluent. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan