NA panel recommends passage of citizenship bill

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Interior and Narcotics Control has recommended the passage of the Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Section 14A).

The proposed amendment addresses a key gap in the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951. Currently, there is no provision allowing the resumption of Pakistani citizenship for individuals from countries that have entered into dual nationality agreements with Pakistan. The bill aims to amend Section 14A to enable overseas Pakistanis who previously renounced their citizenship to regain it.

The committee, chaired by Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, convened at the Parliament House on Wednesday.

According to the bill, many overseas Pakistanis have had to renounce their Pakistani citizenship as a requirement for acquiring citizenship in other countries. With new dual nationality agreements now in place, the amendment seeks to provide a legal mechanism for the resumption of their Pakistani nationality.

During deliberations, a Law Ministry representative emphasized that the amendment is essential for restoring citizenship to Pakistanis who were previously forced to renounce it. DG Passports, Mustafa Jamal Qazi, noted that while Pakistan currently lacks dual nationality agreements with 22 countries, ongoing arrangements will allow citizens to retain their Pakistani nationality in the future.

Regarding unregistered vehicles, the committee directed the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and CDA chairman to engage with vehicle dealers and resolve ongoing registration issues. Talal said that as part of national counterterrorism efforts, unregistered vehicles would be barred from roads. A report on the matter is expected in the next meeting.

On the arms license policy, the minister clarified that one prohibited bore licence is issued to each parliamentarian, while non-prohibited bore licences are available for their close associates. Special permissions for issuing NPB licences in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be sought from the prime minister. Arms licences for businessmen and taxpayers are also under review. He condemned human trafficking and stressed that travel on fake passports will not be tolerated. He reported that over 200 offenders have been arrested and several FIA officials terminated.