KARACHI, July 5: Interior Minister Moin Uddin Haider on Friday made it clear that all those who came to Pakistan before 1971 and had any proof of having worked somewhere drawing salary, or had obtained admission in any school, or have any record of registration, to establish their claim of being a Pakistani citizen, will have to get themselves registered with the National Aliens Registration Authority (NARA).

Talking to newsmen after a meeting with a delegation, headed by Tehreek Insaf Chief, Imran Khan, which met him at State Guest House, the minister said a committee had been set up which would exclusively scrutinise such cases without insisting on production of their identity card, or passport or anything else by them and this way they have been afforded many facilities.

He said that an Association of Bengalis had also met him and he had told them that it is in their interest to get themselves registered, because if anyone has to get nationality it will be given only when they will get themselves registered with NARA under rules and regulations. He said it would create problems for those who would not get themselves registered.

As regards the immigrants who came after 1971 and are living here illegally, he said it is too in their interest to get themselves registered, obtain the identity card with which they would protect themselves against day-to-day police checking and they would get work permit which will be like government permission for their stay in the country.

Earlier in the meeting, the Minister agreed to a proposal of the delegation for inclusion of their two representatives on the committee as ex-officio members.

On the occasion, the NARA director informed the Minister that so far 18,500 families with a total number of 28,000 people have been registered by the NARA.

Imran Khan while pleading the case of the delegation, however, advised them to produce any proof which may establish their residence in Pakistan prior to 1971.

The CPLC Chief Jamil Yusuf, Capital City Police Officer Asad Jehangir, DIGs Javed Iqbal and Babar Khattak besides officials of NARA were also present in the meeting.

To a question, Mr Haider said that the interior ministry, was working on a broad front like machine readable passports, computers at airports, the operation of NARA, police reforms, national identity cards, citizens’ data base, fire policy etc.—APP