Unaware of any ‘establishment-PTI talks’: Mohsin

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Monday said he was unaware of any deal underway between the PTI founder chairman Imran Khan and the establishment.

“Details should be obtained from those who are saying that they have to talk to the army chief,” he said while speaking to the media after inaugurating a mobile facility of traffic licensing at the traffic police office here.

Responding to a query, the minister said some names had been removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) under specific rules, which was a routine procedure. “There are various reasons for delay in passport issuance; however, the passport authorities will soon overcome the causes of deferral,” the minister averred.

Meanwhile, the interior minister visited the passport office in Garden Town and addressed the issues faced by people in obtaining passports. Naqvi interacted with citizens and inquired about their problems. The people presented evidence of having to pay the agent mafia to get passports. The minister was told that visitors had to pay “tax” to cross the office gate. The token machine was found to be malfunctioning, causing frustration to visitors trying to get passports.

The director and assistant director both were unable to give satisfactory answers to the questions. Expressing concern after observing the conditions at the passport office, the interior minister said demanding money without providing services was unacceptable. The minister immediately replaced both the officials and ordered disciplinary action against the assistant director. The people, especially elderly persons, lodged numerous complaints.