News Desk |
Shaharyar Afridi, Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) announced on Friday that the incumbent government has unblocked 181,000 Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) belonging to Pashtuns, which were previously blocked.
Addressing the members of the National Assembly, Minister Shaharyar Afridi stated that the previous government had introduced certain laws that created complications in issuing national identity cards to Pashtun ethnicity holders.
He said, “Unfortunately, a law was introduced that compelled Pashtun ethnicity holders residing anywhere in Pakistan to produce evidence of living in Pakistan before 1979, and this law is not implemented on any other ethnicity”.
Minister Afridi stated that a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed shortly after the incident, and Prime Minister Imran Khan met with the family of martyred SP Dawar.
Minister Afridi explained that this law required the Pashtun community to provide records lo living in Pakistan before the year 1979, and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) had the power to block the identity cards of individuals who resembled Afghans.
The Safron minister added, “In Nadra offices, there were signboards with a 7-point agenda stating that all those who resembled Afghans will be treated like Afghans.” He stated that the PTI-led government not only eliminated such laws and signboards, but it also unblocked CNICs for the Pashtuns.
Afridi stated that the Imran Khan-led government had expedited the execution of the National Action Plan (NAP) and established committees of competent experts to make sure the objectives of the NAP are achieved.
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The Case of SP Tahir Dawar
Speaking on the martyrdom of SP Tahir Dawar, the policeman who was kidnapped from Islamabad and murdered in Afghanistan, the Safron Minister noted that Dawar was a martyr of Pakistan, and he has played an exemplary role in eradicating terrorism.
The Safron Minister highlighted that SP Tahir Dawar Shaheed was a Pakistani, and he was attacked multiple times, citing grave threats to his life. Earlier, his brother had been martyred in Bani Gala, and since he had played a powerful role in fighting terrorism and ushering peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he avoided visiting KPK for a long time.
Minister Afridi stated, “We all witnessed that he was abducted from Peshawar and later, when his dead body was discovered from Afghanistan, NDS wasn’t refused to hand over the martyr’s body to the government Pakistan, but only Manzoor Pashteen. Mohsin Dawar then arrived on the scene to hold negotiations, and we witnessed a gross humiliation of our national flag and anti-state narratives that must not be undermined”.
Read more: SP Tahir Dawar murder case: Has PTM been exposed?
Minister Afridi stated that a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed shortly after the incident, and Prime Minister Imran Khan met with the family of martyred SP Dawar. Safron Minister Shaharyar Afridi stressed that all stakeholders must put aside their differences to show solidarity and sincerity with Pakistan, and urged the opposition parties to avoid undermining the urgency of the matter.