ISLAMABAD ( STAFF REPORT )
The Senate Standing Committee on Interior in its meeting today on Thursday unanimously adopted resolution felicitating nation on the auspicious day of independence and resolving commitment to serve Pakistan to the best of our abilities as a dignified and independent nation. The committee also strongly condemned the ongoing Indian curfew in Indian Occupied Kashmir and urged the government to take more rigorous actions to counter the propaganda and illegal moves of the Indian government and drag PM Narednra Modi in ICJ and UNSC.
CONDEMNATION OF INDIAN CYBER ATTACK
Senate Standing Committee on Interior strongly condemned the Cyberattack by Indian spy network. Chairman Committee Senator A. Rehman Malik said that India is involved in cyber- crimes worldwide and stealing sensitive national data of various countries for different nefarious activities. He said that Indian hackers steal data of different countries and sell it to rival countries and the data of individuals for blackmailing. He informed that he had raised this matter in committee meetings back in 2018 on 20 July and 24th July and had directed Ministry of Interior to take extra-ordinary measures to block such attacks. He appreciated the Pakistan intelligence agencies to have identified this major cyberattack by Indian intelligence agencies involving a range of cybercrimes. He advised the government to write to Secretary General Interpol against Indian cyber terrorism against various sovereign states and to take action against India for Cyber-Terrorism. He advised the Ministry of Interior to direct all the departments to establish iron curtains to protect national data.
RESOLUTION ON AUSPICIOUS DAY OF INDEPENDENCE
At the onset of the meeting, Senator A. Rehman Malik moved a resolution which was unanimously adopted by the committee. He read the resolution as “Senate Standing Committee on Interior congratulates the entire nation on the auspicious day of 14th August, 2020 to celebrate Independence Day of Pakistan with the reminder that we should not forget the golden words of our great leader Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah-Unity , Faith and Discipline. The Committee highly appreciates the outstanding wisdom and farsightedness of Quaid-e-Azam for giving us Two Nation Theory for creation of a sovereign state for the Muslims of the Sub-continent which is being proven 100 percent right now in view of the unprecedented atrocities being committed and anti-mindset of Modi government under the ideology of Hindutva and RSS against the Muslims living in India and Indian Occupied Kashmir. Let us resolve to serve Pakistan to the best of our abilities as a dignified and independent nation”
The committee highly appreciated the chair for tabling the resolution on the auspicious day of independence. He said that today is the 373rd day of curfew in Indian Occupied Kashmir and since day first this committee has been marking these days as ‘Dark Days’ in the history of mankind and expressing solidarity with Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are struggling for their legitimate right of self-determination under UNSC Resolutions. He urged the nation to remember their Kashmiri brothers and sisters while celebrating the happiness of independence.
FATF GREY LIST
The issue of placing Pakistan in FATF’s Grey List was also discussed in the committee. Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik expressed that FATF is playing a discriminatory role as it is victimizing Pakistan while favoring India. He informed the Committee that he as Chairman of this committee had written a letter to FATF President to remove Pakistan’s name from its grey list and proceed against Prime Minister Modi for his role in money laundering and terror financing adding but discriminatory treatment being meted out to Pakistan. He said that as policy making body and business group, FATAF has no right to put any country in Grey List or Black List. He urged the government to question the legitimacy of FATF in the next meeting on the issue. The reply of the FATF to Senator Rehman Malik was placed before the members wherein the President of FATAF states “FATF is a ‘policy making body that has not the investigative and prosecutorial functions”. Senator Rehman Malik stressed that if FATF cannot take any action against India why is Pakistan being pressurized and targeted. He informed the committee that he has drafted a petition for ICJ against FATF discriminatory role and shall be filed soon along with a delegation.
RATIFICATION OF THE NOMINATION OF SENATOR RANA MAQBOOL IN NACTA
The committee considered the matter of ratification of the nomination of Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed belonging to opposition benches in place of Senator Kauda Babar as member of Board of Governors of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). The committee unanimously ratified the nomination of Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed. Senator A. Rehman Malik felicitated Senator Rana Maqbool and expressed that NATCTA will be benefited from his vast experience as law enforcer.