ISLAMABAD – Senate Standing Committee on Interior issued strict directives to Ministry of Interior to ban issuance of arms licenses to tax defaulters, warning that any future violation of this decision would not be tolerated. The committee stressed that this policy must be implemented immediately and without exception.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, was attended by Senators Saifullah Abro, Umar Farooq, Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Mir Dostain Khan Domki, while Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir joined as a special invitee. Other participants included Senators Sherry Rehman, Anusha Rehman Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Aslam Abro, Jan Muhammad Baloch, Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan, and Abdul Shakoor Khan.
Tensions escalated when Senator Danish Kumar staged a walkout in protest over the continued absence of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh. The committee strongly criticized the IGP’s non-attendance and raised serious questions about the overall performance of the Sindh Police.
The committee expressed grave concern over failure to arrest suspects involved in the brutal murder of Senator Muhammad Aslam Abro’s brother and nephew. Officials informed the committee that operations against criminals in the Katcha (riverine) area are ongoing and that Sindh and Balochistan police are coordinating efforts to apprehend the accused.
Chairman Faisal Saleem Rehman issued a stern warning, directing authorities to arrest the culprits immediately and submit a report to the committee, stating that failure to do so would result in the concerned IGP being held personally responsible.
The committee reviewed and approved the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2025, as the Ministry of Interior raised no objections. The committee passed the Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Plastic Book Covers) Bill 2025, with the chairman praising it as a positive step toward environmental protection.
The meeting featured an alarming briefing on identity card theft and misuse of personal data. Officials from NADRA and the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports claimed that security systems have been strengthened since 2023 and that no data breach has occurred since then.
The issue of blocking national identity cards (CNICs) of certain individuals was also taken up. The committee ordered that affected citizens be provided verification and clearance facilities through district-level committees, strictly in line with established policy.
