By Malik Faisal Munir / DNA
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, met to discuss key Bills and increasing life threats to Parliamentarians.
Senator Aslam Abro briefed about the horrific incident of the murder of his brother, MPA of Sindh Assembly, and his nephew. He remarked that despite being a member of the Senate and despite making efforts, the murderers of his brother and nephew have not been arrested and it clearly indicates the plight of the common man. Officials of Sindh stated that one accused has been arrested and a raid was conducted in Quetta to arrest the other accused, however, the accused fled the scene. The Committee recommended the officials to furnish a detailed report on the matter within 40 days.
Senator Aslam Abro also revealed the life threats and that a murder attempt was made on his life in Islamabad. He asked for security in view of evident life threats to his life.
The Senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan asked for provision of security due to existing life threats to their lives. They further demanded that if the government cannot provide the security, then it should issue Prohibited Bore licenses in their names so that they could arrange private security for themselves. The Committee recommended the Interior Ministry to provide security to Senator Aslam Abro and devise a comprehensive plan for the issuance of Prohibited Bore licenses to the Parliamentarians.
Furthermore, the Committee passed a Bill titled βThe Provincial Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2025.β Senator Sarmad Ali, mover of the bill, stated that the bill aimed to regulate the various private services currently operating in the country, as these ride-sharing services are not being regulated under any law in Pakistan.
The Committee also passed two key bills namely βThe Capital Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025β and βThe Federal Prosecution Service Tribunal (Amendment) Bill, 2025.β The first Bill deals with compensation to the affectees and introduces the option of land sharing as a compensation mode for both future and past acquisitions. Moreover, the second Bill aimed to extend the jurisdiction of the Bill to all Federal Courts existing in the country.
Concerning the alleged use of donkey meat in Islamabad, Food Department officials explained that the genes of meat could not be identified without a PCR test and such a test costs around 20 thousand rupees and its results could take a week. They further said that the Food Department does not have the latest equipment and even lacks a mobile van. The Committee decided to conduct an exclusive session on the matter in the upcoming meeting.
Discussing the deployment of Rangers at tobacco processing units in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials apprised that the Rangers have been deployed on the request of Chairman FBR due to an existing shortfall of Rs. 200 Billion in revenue. Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman stated that there hasnβt been a single incident in all these years and it is ironic that the Rangers have only been deployed at tobacco processing units owned by the locals, not by the foreign companies. The Committee decided to call upon the Chairman FBR in the upcoming meeting to deliberate the issue.
While discussing the matter of non-issuance of Senator Ahmed Khanβs notification as member Board of Real Estate Regulatory Authority, officials informed that the summary had been sent on 8th August for the approval of the Cabinet and it will be notified soon.
The Committee also discussed one of the unique thefts in the nationβs history, in which cigarettes worth Rs. 26 crore were stolen without breaking into the government warehouse in Swabi district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, Swabi Police officials alleged that Faheem Rasheed, Deputy Commissioner IR, was involved in the theft, and he left for Hajj a day after the robbery. The Committee decided to take up the matter with the Chairman FBR in the upcoming meeting.
In attendance were Senators Muhammad Aslam Abro,Sarmad Ali,Shahadat Awan,Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan,Jam Saifullah Khan,Mohammad Abdul Qadir,Mir Dostain Khan Domki,Dilawar Khan,Ahmed Khan,Naseema Ehsan,State Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Muhammad Tallal Badar,Special Secretary for Interior and Narcotics and other concerned officials of relevant departments
