Islamabad (GNP): The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman and passed three significant pieces of legislation while deliberating on a range of pressing national issues including NADRA policies affecting Pakhtoon communities, the Labour Day arrest of Pakhtoon labourers in Rawalpindi, encroachments in Islamabad and a high-profile narcotics arrest in Karachi.
The meeting was attended by Senators Shahadat Awan, Saifullah Abro, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Muhammad Talha Mahmood, Mir Dostain Khan Domki, Dilawar Khan, Abid Sher Ali, Sarmad Ali and Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, with Senators Nasir Butt and Abdul Qadir participating as special invitees.
The Committee unanimously passed the Islamabad Metro Bus Service Bill, 2026, moved by Senator Sarmad Ali, which proposes a Mass Transit Authority under the Capital Development Authority with fare exemptions for children under 12 and senior citizens. CDA officials raised concerns over creating a new authority within an existing structure, while the Secretary Interior requested additional time following a recent change in CDA leadership.
The Committee, noting the matter had been deliberated across several previous meetings, passed the bill unanimously. The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2026, backed by the government, Ministry of Interior and Law Division, was also passed unanimously.
The most substantive discussion centred on the Criminal Laws (Honour Killing Prevention) Bill. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri stressed that individuals participating in jirga systems who recommend punishments in the name of honour must be held legally accountable, and highlighted gaps in the existing framework around forced compromises and coercive settlements imposed on victims and their families. She noted that honour-based violence was on the rise and stronger legal protections were urgently needed.
Senator Abid Sher Ali underscored the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to maintain order within their jurisdictions. The Law Ministry cautioned that certain amendments could curtail judicial authority and raise human rights concerns, though these reservations did not halt the bill’s progress. The Ministry of Interior along with the governments of Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir had already backed the proposed amendments. The Committee passed the bill unanimously.
Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar raised concerns over NADRA verification policies affecting the Salman Khel tribe in Balochistan, a community with a documented history that includes participation in the 1857 War of Independence and contributions toward the Kashmir cause, for which they had received state recognition.
He alleged that if one family member’s CNIC is rejected, others face detention and deportation to Afghanistan, and that affected individuals are subjected to harassment and demands for bribes to regularise their nationality status. The Committee objected to a private individual from the tribe being used to certify nationality in Rawalpindi District. The Chairman directed that only authorised government officials may conduct nationality verification and that the public must not be harassed unnecessarily.
The Committee also reviewed the arrest of 14 Pakhtoon labourers on Labour Day, 1 May. A labour representative informed the Committee that the workers, residing at his private residence, had been arrested without justification and subjected to mistreatment.
The Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi stated the labourers were detained for failing to register with the local police station despite residing in rented accommodation, and confirmed they were released the same day after completing legal formalities. The Chairman directed the RPO to submit details of all individuals detained during the past month.
On encroachments, the Committee reviewed the situation in Rimsha Colony and Allama Iqbal Shopper Colony in Islamabad. CDA officials confirmed no formal notices had been issued but acknowledged the settlements were unauthorised. The Chairman directed the CDA to prioritise anti-encroachment action and submit progress reports at every subsequent meeting.
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The Inspector General Karachi Police briefed the Committee on the arrest of a suspect identified as Anmol on charges of drug smuggling and narcotics distribution. Law enforcement had monitored the suspect for five months. Approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine valued at Rs. 30.5 million, along with a firearm, were recovered from her possession. She allegedly supplied narcotics across Karachi including in university areas, using ride-hailing and delivery services for transportation.
A case against her had previously been registered in 2019, following which her CNIC and passport were blocked. Investigations into her mobile records and bank accounts are ongoing and supervising officers have been suspended. The Chairman directed agencies to map the full supply chain, trace all beneficiaries and take strict action against any officials found to have facilitated trafficking.
The meeting concluded with the Chairman directing all relevant departments to implement the Committee’s recommendations and submit progress reports at upcoming sessions.
