ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has declared Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader, former minister and former senator Hafiz Hamdullah a foreigner, claiming there was & # 39; fraudulently obtained & # 39; your national computerized identity card (CNIC) that has now been canceled.
"He is a confirmed Afghan and had used fraudulent means to obtain citizenship of Pakistan," said a senior official while speaking with Dawn on Saturday. His case had been "under scrutiny for years," although the decision was made in a confirmation report from "sensitive agencies" that he was a foreigner, the official added.
In his reaction, the JUI-F leader blamed state institutions for his "political victimization" and said that no one in his family, including his father, had been accused of being a foreigner. He said his father was an employee of the education department in 1974 and had already provided Nadra with documents to prove it.
Although the government's decision had been taken two weeks ago, it came to the spotlight only a few days before the Azadi march of the JUI-F in Islamabad for which the negotiations between the two parties had not been conclusive until late Friday night.
A notification issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), which prohibits television channels from inviting him to talk shows as a guest, referred to a letter from Nadra dated October 11.
Pemra prohibits news channels from inviting you to television shows; JUI-F blames state institutions for "political victimization"
The senior official said foreigners with Pakistani identity documents received a two-month amnesty starting July 1 to hand over their CNICs, with the warning that they would otherwise face 14 years in prison.
A campaign to re-verify the CNICs across the country began after a surprising revelation in 2016 that Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor had fraudulently acquired Pakistani nationality. During the campaign, thousands of doubtful CNICs had been blocked.
Mullah Mansoor died in an attack against a taxi near the Nushki district in Balochistan in May 2016. A Pakistani passport and a CNIC found near the charred remains of the taxi, attacked by a US plane piloted remotely, identified him as Wali Mohammad . However, a DNA test later confirmed that the deceased was Mullah Mansoor, who had acquired Pakistani CNIC with a false name.
Pemra Directive
In a notification issued on Saturday, Pemra ordered television channels not to broadcast to the former senator, since he was not a citizen of Pakistan.
Interestingly, there is no law that prevents non-Pakistanis from appearing on the country's news or entertainment channels.
The Pemra notification No. 13 (87) / PAHO / 2016 signed by G.M. (Broadcast of operations) referred to Nadra's letter dated October 11 that former Senator Hamdullah was not Pakistani.
The notification read: "Since it is established that said person is a" foreigner ", therefore, all TV channels (News and Current Affairs) must refrain from inviting and projecting Mr. Hafiz Hamdullah Saboor in their programs / programs of interviews, news, etc. "
Hafiz Hamdullah became Balochistan's minister of health in 2002 after being elected to the provincial assembly with a Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) ticket in the general elections. He maintained the portfolio until 2005.
Later, in March 2012, as a JUI-F candidate he was elected to the upper house of parliament. His term as senator ended last year in March.
While talking with Dawn, a senior Pemra official acknowledged that there was no such law that restricted non-Pakistanis from appearing on Pakistani channels in any news, current affairs or entertainment program, but declined to comment on the reason behind the issuance of the notification.
However, the JUI-F leader blamed state institutions for their "political victimization" and said that no one in his family, including his wife and children, had been accused of being a foreigner. He said the whole case was nothing more than political victimization.
"I learned that my ID card has been blocked in February or March of this year and [when] I contacted the local Nadra office, they asked me to go to Nadra's central office in Islamabad, ”he recalled.
He said that he had provided Nadra with several documents, including his father's checkbook issued by the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in 1974. “I gave the municipality a report related to my birth in Chaman, my bank's checkbook National for the year 1974 as my father was an employee of the department of education in 1974, "he explained, arguing:" What else should I submit? "
He said senior Nadra officials, including its president, informed him that the complaint had been filed by the "intelligence establishment and the matter could only be resolved from there."
"Now they want me to go to Kabul or Delhi; this is what Modi is doing with the Muslims in Assam," said Hafiz Hamdullah.
Posted on Dawn, October 27, 2019
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1513157/nadra-cancels-ex-senator-hamdullahs-citizenship