Naqvi announces NOC requirement for Afghans in Islamabad

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announces NOC requirement for Afghans in Islamabad.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that no Afghan citizens would be allowed to live in Islamabad after December 31 unless they were issued a special certificate by the district administration.

Talking to media persons in Islamabad, the Interior Minister said any Afghan citizen, who intends to stay in ICT after December this year, would have to obtain a No Objection Certificate from the Deputy Commissioner Office.

“If Afghans want to live here, they need a No Objection Certificate from the Deputy Commissioner’s office. But after December 31, no Afghan citizen can live in Islamabad without an NOC,” he remarked.

Responding to a question, the minister said most roads had been opened and routine life in Islamabad restored.

Naqvi rejected the ongoing propaganda of killings during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest in Islamabad, saying no policeman was equipped with a pistol.

“I have been asking to share the names of those killed in the protests but there is no response from the other side,” he said.

They should share evidence, if any, of deaths during protest, he said.

The minister said he would share the data of the tear gas shells fired by the protesters on law enforcers. “We are ready if they [PTI] want to come again,” he dared PTI.

Speaking to the media during a visit to the ongoing construction of an underpass at F-8, Naqvi reaffirmed the government’s stance on regulating foreign nationals in the capital.

“There is a lot of noise about bodies in hospitals, but no one is giving specifics. I asked the protesters to provide the name of even one person who died. Their embarrassment is evident as they struggle to name anyone,” he said.

The Interior Minister emphasised that a comprehensive report on the protests would soon be submitted to the High Court.

Islamabad appears to be returning to normal after the chaos caused by the protests. “The city is on track, with rapid progress on the F-9 road and underpass,” Naqvi added.

Following the visit, the Minister and Punjab Rangers DG, Major General Mohammad Atif bin Akram, toured PIMS Hospital to meet with security personnel injured during the protests.