ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Tuesday said that diplomatic passport of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stood expired today (February 17) and it will not be re-issued as the law does not permit for issuance of passports to those who are on the no-fly list.

Addressing a press conference at the Ministry of Interior, the minister said that both PML-N supremo Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were on the Exit Control List (ECL) since August 20, 2018 on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau following approval of the cabinet.

“Any person once placed on ECL could not be issued a passport,” he said adding that this was the requirement of the law. He also clarified that former PM’s passport would stood expired on midnight of February 16.

Sheikh Rashid stressed that the government did not want to place a bar on former PM, staying in London on the excuse of his treatment, to return the country and would issue him emergency travelling documents (ETD) if he wanted so. “The court had given him one-time permission to go abroad and the same was misused.” He also said that the high court in its decision had asked him to come to Pakistan but he did not respond till yet.

Replying to a question, the interior minister said that interior ministry was not in talks Sharif family about the renewal of former PM’s passport. “Neither anyone has talked with us nor would the interior ministry contact anyone.”

He underscored that ETD could be issued to Sharif within 72 hours if he applied to the concerned Pakistan’s mission abroad and only if he returned to Pakistan. “But I think that he would never think of returning to the country,” he said adding that the opposition party would only talk about his return in talk shows.

He further said that Vice President PML-N Maryam Nawaz has also talked about going abroad for a surgery and added that she had not applied with the ministry to put her name off the ECL.   

Replying to a question about reports that Maryam was in contact with a federal minister, he ruled out any such contacts.

Taking about the measures taken by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government to streamline the visa regime, he said that the Ministry of Interior has decided to call back 50 officers working in the visa sections of Pakistan’s missions abroad for over 10 years. He warned that anyone who will not give charge of his post to his successor within 14 days would be dismissed from service.   

He said that online visas would be issued in four weeks instead of six even if security agencies did not give their security clearance report. It has been made mandatory for the security agencies to give their security clearance report within given time period otherwise the ministry will take its decision at its own.

Sheikh Rashid said that the passport fee having validity of 10 years has been reduced to half. He urged the citizens to get issued 10-year validity passport to reduce burden on Passport Office.

He said National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will issue 100,000 CNICs every day and NADRA offices will be opened in all tehsil headquarters.  

The minister castigated the opposition for criticizing the assemblies in the past for labelling these as fake, and said that today those including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had been cursing the assemblies now were seeking votes from the same. “This is the respect of the assemblies, the democracy and the system and is failure of those who wanted to send the system packing.”

The interior minister ruled out talks of any surprise in the March 3 Senate election and claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party will be the winner in the election of the upper house. He pointed out that the Supreme Court was going to give an important decision on the open voting of Senate polls. “I since the start of my career in local bodies has seen that those sell votes for money used to have dead consciences because people in any condition don’t sell their consciences.”

He alleged that opposition PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari have had expertise in buying of votes but “he would face disappointment this time. “

He hoped that there will be no political instability in the country after the Senate election which will bring an end to rumours.  

He also urged the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to change the date of its announced March 26 long march protest in the capital as the holy month of Ramadan was round the corner. “I assure them that they will face no hurdles in Islamabad till they did not take the law into hands,” he said. He added that even they government would facilitate them if they held the protest on the announced date.

The minister also said that he wanted to make reshuffle in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after taking prime minister into confidence and those officials who are serving in the agency for the last 20 years would be transferred to other departments.

Replying to a question about former PM Yousaf Raza Gillani contesting Senate election from Islamabad as an outsider, he said that people used to leave Pakistan for politics and they could do anything to get votes. “What a politician one can be who leaves the country through cheating,” he said while referring to former PM Sharif.

He also said that acting chairman NADRA has been barred from taking policy decisions until the appointment of a permanent one is made. The acting has been appointed for a short time and he does not hold the powers on policy decisions, he added.