ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The National Assembly was informed on Tuesday that the condition of presenting Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) for renewing or getting a new passport would not be waived.

Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, in reply to a call-attention notice, informed the house that certain people had been misusing the old identity cards for preparing fake documents.

MNAs Sher Akbar Khan, Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Munir Khan Orakzai had drawn the attention of the minister to the condition, saying it was causing delay in the issuance of passports.

The minister disagreed with the suggestion. “Even at this time there are 700,000 to 800,000 CNICs are lying with the swift centres and Nadra offices and applicants are awaited to collect their cards,” he said.

Mr Hayat said there was a need to motivate people to apply for the CNICs and urged the elected members to play their role in this regard.

In reply to another call-attention notice, the parliamentary secretary to interior, Sanaullah Mastikhel, rejected the proposal for renewing passports on production of manual (old) ID cards.

He said as Nadra was issuing CNICs within seven to 10 days there should be no fear of visa expiry as pointed out by members.

He said even those having visas would have to renew their passports only after producing the computerized ID cards. “Even in case of pilgrims’ passports, producing CNIC was declared compulsory,” Mr Mastikhel said.—APP