ISLAMABAD, 23 SEPT (DNA) – Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan said e-passport system will be introduced in the country during the next three months.

Talking to media in Islamabad on Friday evening, he said that a multi-pronged mechanism has been introduced in National Database and Registration Authority as a national security drive.

He said that NADRA centres will be set up in big cities including Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Peshawar and Quetta during the next five months.

He said these centers will be later extended to the whole country. He said that a Monitoring Helpline of NADRA will be set up that will be directly supervised by the Ministry of Interior.

The Interior Minister said that the work on the revivification of CNICs and Passports is underway. He said the fake CNICs and Passports have been blocked. He said action is also being taken against those NADRA officials who were involved in illegal activities.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that during the last four months 82.5 million CNICs out of 105 million CNICs have been revivified. He said out of these about sixty thousands were fake.  He said fifty thousand fake CNICs have been blocked and Intelligence Agencies are working on the reaming ten thousand CNICs.

The Interior Minister said that 2000 fake Passports have also been blocked. He said 29000 passports have been issued to the foreigners. He said during the revivification of the passports, about two thousand foreigners have returned the passports voluntarily.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that eighteen NDARA officials have been identified for being involved in the heinous crime of selling nationality against money by issuing national identity cards. Eight of them have been arrested, seven others are on pre-arrest bail, and one is at large.

To a question about India’s allegations against Pakistan regarding attack in Uri, Occupied Kashmir, the Interior Minister rejected India’s allegations as baseless saying that India had to impose censorship on the media because its lies had been exposed. He said it is India, not Pakistan, that has to answer because of leveling false allegations.

To another question about India’s offer of citizenship to Pakistani terrorist Brahumdagh Bugti, the Minister said the offer has made it clear to everyone who is supporting terrorism. He said it has substantiated the Indian prime minister’s statement of interference in Pakistan. He said Pakistan will contact Interpol to bring Brahumdgh Bugti back to the country. DNA