The Interior Minister Rehman Malik has announced on the floor of the National Assembly that after March 13, 2011 every student, journalist and artist travelling abroad would be required to obtain an NOC from interior ministry.
The reason given for the decision is to protect the national interests to safeguard the security and prestige of Pakistan. This condition is against the constitution of Pakistan which guarantees the rights of free movements to all citizens.
The pertinent question is why was this new hurdle needed? When the citizens apply for their national identify cards and passports, their profile is verified by the NADRA and interior ministry for which the citizens have to spend many hours.
Now, they would have to spend a lot of time for getting the NOC as well. It is a shame that a people-elected democratic government is taking anti-people and anti-democratic decisions, making Pakistan a police state.
Which other civilized and democratic country have such rule for its own citizens? Unfortunately, our government instead of working for the welfare of people is always finding ways how to inflict miseries for them.
S T HUSSAIN
Lahore
