ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Abdul Rehman Malik informed the Committee that he has taken a serious notice of the media reports regarding construction of a Firing Range in the premises of US Embassy, Islamabad, for which a tender had also been floated in the press.
“I already asked for the SOS views of the Chief Commissioner Islamabad on the issue and the Chief Commission Islamabad has verbally told him that there is no such formal agreement with the ICT to allow US Embassy for construction of a firing range in the compound of US Embassy based in Islamabad,” he said while chairing a meeting of the Senate Committee on Interior and was attended among others by Senators Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Dr. Shahzad Wasim, Mian M. Ateeq Shaikh, Rana Maqbool, Haji Momin Khan Afridi and Sardar Shafique Tareen. The meeting was also attended by the Federal Minister of Interior, Brig (R) Ijaz Shah, Secretary Interior, Additional Secretary, Interior, Mayor Islamabad, Chairman CDA, DG Passport and Immigration and senior officials from other departments also attended the meeting.
Senator Rehman Malik said that the media report regarding construction of firing rage has created a serious controversy which needs to be clarified in the greater national interest.
He directed the Ministry of Interior to brief the Committee in the next meeting of the Committee in detail. “No country shall be allowed to violate the laws of our land,” he said.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior has strongly condemned the two separate terrorist attacks in Hazarganji and Ormara areas of Balochistan and offered Fateha for the departed souls of martyrs. The Committee extended heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families of the martyrs of both incidents. The Committee also observed one minute silence in memory of victims who lost their lives in bomb attacks in Sri Lanka. At the outset, Senator Rehman Malik said our hearts and soul are with the victim families of Balochistan blasts and we share their pains and sorrows.
He said that behind terrorist activities in Balochistan, the involvement of our inimical countries cannot be ignored as such blasts are aimed at inciting sectarian clashes in the country to destabilize Pakistan. “However enemies will not succeed in their nefarious designs to destabilize Pakistan and divide our nation,” reiterated Rehman Malik.
He said that the Shia Hazara community of Balochistan is being targeted continuously since long and it is time to bring an end to their persecution by taking fierce actions against terrorists and banned outfits across the country. The Committee sought detail report from Ministry of Interior over the both incidents and directed that the Committee will soon hold a detailed briefing from the Ministry over National Action Plan (NAP) and its implementation.
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior passed a resolution strongly condemning the series of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday that killed more than 300 innocent people. The resolution was moved by the Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior, Senator Rehman Malik which was adopted by the Committee unanimously.
Senator Rehman Malik further said that the government should take precautionary security measures, especially when the Prime Minister plans to visit China as usually, there are always some terrorist attacks before such visits to sabotage the results.
He also directed the Ministry of Interior to inform the committee about the presence of Daish in the country as the government must not remain in the denial mode.
He said he has been claimed the presence of Daish in Pakistan three years back. He said stern action should be taken against presence of Daish in the country before it spread like a monster across the country.
The Director General Immigration and Passports briefed the Committee in detail on the organizational structure and working of the organization. He briefed that the major functions and mandate of the department include issuance of passports, extension of visas to students, businessmen and tourists and also the issuance of Pakistan citizenship certificates, renunciation certificates and naturalization certificates.