NADRA offices to be opened in every tehsil headquarters: Sh Rashid

Islamabad : Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday said that National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) offices would be opened in every tehsil headquarters after consultation with Members National Assembly (MNAs) whether belonging to treasury or opposition benches.

Taking part in budget debate in National Assembly, he said that complete authority had been given to MNAs regarding opening of NADRA offices in their respective districts and tehsil headquarters.

They might select the place for NADRA offices and also to guide in this regard, he added.

He said that Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs) had started functioning in the erstwhile FATA and people including women and disabled persons were being served.

He said that first NIC was free of cost while these MRVs would continue function there in future.

The minister urged other cabinet members to highlight the performance of their respective ministries/divisions in the House so that people might know about their achievements.

He said that e-passport system had been introduced in the country while passport could be obtained on the same day by depositing additional fee of Rs2,180. He said that exit visa was also being made online while backlog of 300,000 visas had been cleared in his tenure.

A member of panel of chairperson Amjad Khan Niazi was presiding over the proceedings when the interior minister opened his budget speech.

The minister paid tributes to chair’s father Sher Afgan Niazi and said that he was veteran politician as well as lawmaker and he (Sheikh Rashid) learnt parliamentary practices from him as a student.

The chair also thanked him for his remarks.

The minister said that 88 per cent fencing at Afghan border had been ensured while the rest to be completed by June 30. He said that next 2-3 months were very much important and electronic entrances would be ensured there.

He termed the agreements of electricity at higher rates as the root cause of various problems in the country and stressed to reconsider them.

The incumbent government, he said, had made efforts during its ongoing tenure to root out the menace of corruption from the society.

He condemned the uproar in National Assembly during last few days and said that educated people rejected such attitude.

The minister said that it was good omen that situation had improved and urged all political parties to shun differences and sit together to counter internal and external challenges.

Sheikh Rashid said Gwadar had become very important and relationship as well as interest among the countries were changing.

Sheikh Rashid said that he had served as ministers for 15 times and every government approached IMF due to financial constraints.

He said that overseas Pakistanis had played a pivotal role in putting the economy of country on right track and record remittances of $9 billion were received.

Since after 1963, work on Dasu and Diamer dams was started during the tenure of Imran Khan which would help to reduce electricity rates in the country and resolve problems related to it.

The minister also appreciated the Ehsaas programme globally declared the best program providing relief to the people.

In the end, he stressed upon all political parties to evolve consensus on electoral reforms and give a better system to the country for transparent elections.