ISLAMABAD:
Lawmakers in the upper house on Tuesday demanded arms licenses for themselves, prompting Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to announce that one prohibited-bore license will be issued to every member of parliament.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem, began with prayers for the victims of the Swat tragedy.
Lawmakers raised multiple issues, including arms licenses, illegal housing societies in Islamabad, water shortages and security arrangements for Muharram.
Senator Palwasha Khan raised the issue of halted arms license issuance to parliamentarians.
In response, Naqvi announced that each member of parliament will be issued one license, adding that quota allocations would be increased for areas facing deteriorating law and order situations.
He also ordered refunds for individuals who paid fees for licenses during the previous tenure but never received them.
During the session, Director General (DG) of Immigration and Passports Mustafa Jamal Qazi came under heavy criticism from committee members.
Senator Haji Hidayatullah protested against the DG’s alleged unprofessional behaviour, claiming that Qazi ignores his calls and refuses to act on them, while accommodating others for the same requests.
“He even said about my leader Aimal Wali Khan, ‘Is he greater than the state?’, which is an unacceptable insult,” Hidayatullah said.
Interior Minister Naqvi instructed the Interior Secretary to look into the matter.
The committee was also briefed on proposed amendments to the Pakistan Citizenship Bill 2025.
DG Qazi explained that overseas Pakistanis who previously had to renounce Pakistani citizenship to acquire foreign nationality would now be eligible to reclaim it, especially those from countries with which Pakistan has bilateral agreements.
He argued that this move would help attract investment, philanthropy, and expertise back to Pakistan.
However, Senator Palwasha questioned the practical benefits, prompting Qazi to respond: “These individuals are assets. They earn abroad, invest here, and contribute to development and charity in Pakistan.”
