Interior committee reviews criminal procedure reforms, FIA passenger screening policy and CDA projects

ISLAMABAD: The 27th meeting of the Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control was held on 9 June 2026 at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, where lawmakers reviewed legislative reforms, administrative procedures and ongoing development issues in Islamabad.

The committee first confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting held on 20 May 2026 before taking up The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The Law Minister briefed members that the proposed amendments aimed to modernise Pakistan’s criminal justice framework in line with technological developments, particularly the growing use of digital evidence such as CCTV footage, electronic communications, online FIR systems and advanced prosecution tools. He said the reforms were prepared after consultations with legal experts, bar associations, prosecutors and judicial officers, and were intended to improve investigations, strengthen prosecutions, increase conviction rates and protect the rights of both victims and accused persons.

Members supported detailed scrutiny of the bill and agreed to defer its consideration for clause-by-clause review during the budget session. The committee recommended holding a series of meetings from 16 to 18 June 2026 to examine the proposed amendments in detail. It also deferred The West Pakistan Motor Vehicle Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The Federal Investigation Agency briefed the committee on policies related to the non-issuance of third and subsequent passports, passenger offloading procedures and the blacklisting of overseas Pakistanis. Officials said passenger screening was part of efforts to curb illegal migration, human trafficking and visa misuse, and that modern tools including artificial intelligence, data analytics and the Integrated Border Management System were being used to identify high-risk travellers.

However, members raised concerns over complaints that some passengers holding valid visas and documents had been offloaded without clear justification. The Minister of State for Interior said the system largely relied on automated and objective profiling, adding that further software improvements were being introduced to increase transparency and reduce human discretion.

The committee also discussed a calling attention notice regarding delays in compensation payments to landowners affected by CDA acquisitions in multiple Islamabad sectors. After deliberations, it directed the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad to coordinate with relevant lawmakers and resolve outstanding issues.

Reviewing CDA development projects, the committee noted delays in several road schemes initiated under the Prime Minister’s development package announced in 2023. Members were informed that payments worth Rs40 million were still pending for contractors despite earlier recommendations. The committee urged immediate release of dues to contractors who had completed work and called for expedited completion of ongoing road projects. Officials assured that allocated funds would not lapse.

The committee also took up complaints regarding a blocked access route in the Pindorian (Khanna) area caused by a graveyard project. Members expressed concern over the closure of an established public passage and directed CDA and the Deputy Commissioner to conduct a joint site visit and restore access without delay.

Read More: 12 killed in mass shooting near Johannesburg informal settlement

The Anti-Narcotics Force briefed the committee on a previously raised issue involving a viral video and allegations linking a former prime minister to an individual named in the media. After reviewing police reports from Punjab and Sindh, the committee concluded that the allegations were baseless and disposed of the matter.

The meeting was attended by the Interior and Law ministers, state minister for interior, several MNAs and senior officials from relevant departments, including the FIA, ANF and CDA, along with the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad.