Islamabad, Oct 22 (TNS): Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik has said that non- Issuance of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to Bengalese living in Pakistan before 1970 needs to be addressed with consensus of all stakeholders. In response to the report and proposals submitted by Ministry of Interior, Senator A. Rehman Malik said that non- issuance of CNICs to Bengalese has been a continuous source of inconvenience for Bengalese and other communities who have been living in Pakistan before 1970 but issuance of their CNICs is being denied by NADRA.
He said that the matter of non-issuance of CNICs to Bengali, Burmese and other communities living in Pakistan before 1970 needs to be solved on urgent basis and one time indemnity should be given to all of them who are already registered with the government of Pakistan as Ex-Pakistanis and Mohajir. He said that the government may reconsider the clauses of Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951 aiming to give a relief to already registered Bengalese and others settled in Sindh before 1970. ‘’This important issue of citizenship to Bengalese and other ex- Pakistanis will be taken up in the next meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Interior to bring a solution to it’’ he said.
It must be mentioned here that the matter of non- Issuance of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to Bengalese was referred to the Committee by Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani for consideration and report.
Chairman Committee Senator Rehman Malik said that a detailed report on the matter will be presented to the Chairman Senate after holding next meeting of the committee. He said that Mayor Karachi, Home Secretary Sindh and all other stakeholders will also be invited to the said meeting to solve this longstanding issue with consensus.
