Senate body expresses concern over unnecessary blockage of over 300,000 CNIC

ISLAMABAD: Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Lesser Developed Areas on Thursday expressed its concern over the unnecessary blocking of over 300,000 Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC) belonging to lesser developed areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.

The meeting was presided over by Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, and attended by Senator Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel and officials of the interior ministry.

Senator Usman Kakar said National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) should take steps on a priority basis to resolve the issue.

He said that 70 per cent population of the lesser developed areas lived below the poverty line and without a CNIC they are suddenly unable to travel to other parts of the country. Most of them are daily wage workers.

Usman Kakar also criticised previous governments for not introducing any scheme for the welfare of people of those areas.

Earlier, officials of the interior ministry had briefed the committee on the security situation, saying that it had witnessed an improvement during the past five years whereas, more steps were being taken in that regard.

Senate body also emphasised that working of passport office in less developed areas should be improved with the deployment of appropriate staff.