The meeting of the Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control was held on 03rd September, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Parliament House, Islamabad, under the chairmanship of Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, MNA and reviewed the implementation status of its previous recommendations.

 

The Committee expressed concern over the non-implementation of its earlier recommendations and emphasized that the same should be implemented in letter and spirit. The Committee deferred consideration of “The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2025” (Government Bill) to its next meeting, as the Minister for Law and Justice was out of the country. 

 

The Committee also considered “The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2026” (Ord. No. II of 2026) (Government Bill) and recommended that the Bill be passed by the National Assembly. However, the Members belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) recorded their dissenting note on the Bill.

 

The Committee discussed the prolonged delay in the transfer and settlement of land/revenue records between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, including records pertaining to Khanadag, Khannakak and Shakriyal. The Committee expressed serious concern over the difficulties being faced by citizens due to the delay and directed the concerned authorities to expedite the settlement process. 

 

The Committee further directed that computerized revenue records be examined and, wherever possible, made available to the Islamabad Administration. The Committee directed that the next meeting be attended personally by the Chief Commissioner/concerned senior officers, the Senior Member, Board of Revenue, Punjab, the Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi, the Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) and other relevant officers.

The Committee received a detailed briefing from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), cellular mobile operators and representatives of the banking sector regarding fraudulent calls, illegal issuance of SIMs, misuse of biometric data and financial scams. 

 

The Committee expressed serious concern over the misuse of citizens’ biometric information and directed the relevant institutions to strengthen existing safeguards. The PTA informed the Committee that approximately 18.2 million SIMs had been blocked during the preceding two and a half years and that fines had been imposed on cellular operators for regulatory violations. The Committee stressed the need for enhanced verification technologies, including facial and iris recognition, immediate customer alerts upon issuance of new SIMs, stronger monitoring mechanisms and coordinated action among the PTA, NADRA, banks, law-enforcement agencies and cellular operators. 

 

The Committee also discussed unauthorized withdrawals, the use of rented/mule bank accounts and difficulties in the timely blocking and recovery of fraudulent funds. The Committee directed the relevant authorities to formulate practical legislative, regulatory and technical measures to strengthen Pakistan’s cyber security framework and protect citizens against financial fraud. The Committee further directed that greater public awareness be created regarding the unauthorized use of foreign SIMs and that social media platforms be monitored to prevent their illegal promotion. The Committee directed the Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, Chairman, PTA, and heads of cellular mobile operators operating in Pakistan to sit together and resolve the issues involved and submit a comprehensive report to the Committee for further consideration and recommendations.

 

The Committee deferred the agenda item relating to a briefing by the Circle Registrar and the President/Secretary, Intelligence Bureau Employees Cooperative Housing Society (IBECHS), Islamabad, regarding the implementation status of the order passed by the Court of Registrar Cooperative Societies/Deputy Commissioner, ICT, Islamabad, dated 03-03-2026, against Mr. Shujaat Ullah Qureshi, former Secretary General, IBECHS, concerning his removal and recovery of the loss. The Committee directed the Circle Registrar, Cooperative Housing Societies, ICT, Islamabad, to attend the next meeting along with the President/Secretary of the Intelligence Bureau Employees Cooperative Housing Society (IBECHS), Islamabad.

 

The Islamabad Police briefed the Committee on the prevailing law and order situation, the Safe City Project and narcotics control. The Committee directed that anti-narcotics awareness campaigns, particularly against ICE and other synthetic drugs, be launched in schools, universities, neighbourhoods and communities across Islamabad. The Committee emphasized the need for stronger police-community engagement, improved intelligence mechanisms and periodic rotation of investigators who had remained posted at the same police station for prolonged periods. The Committee also directed strict verification of candidates claiming the Islamabad local quota in police recruitment. The Chairman of the Committee emphasized that cameras installed under the Safe City Project should be made fully functional. He also referred to an incident involving misbehaviour by drug dealers with the Vice Chairman of his constituency and directed that such practices be eliminated and FIRs be registered against persons involved in drug-related activities at the concerned police stations in Islamabad. The Committee decided that a separate meeting would be convened to discuss the law and order situation and the Safe City Project in Islamabad.

 

The Committee considered the agenda item relating to a briefing on the Islamabad Master Plan. However, as the Chairman, CDA, was not present, the agenda item was deferred. The Committee expressed concern over ongoing road works, inadequate drainage systems, development of residential areas without the requisite NOCs and delays in the release and utilization of development funds. The Chairman directed the CDA to furnish the relevant layout plans and reports and further directed that the Chairman, CDA, personally attend the next meeting and provide a comprehensive briefing on the Islamabad Master Plan, Parliament Lodges, roads, funding and other outstanding matters concerning Parliament.

 

The meeting was attended by Mr. Talal Chaudhry, Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control; Mr. Anjum Aqeel Khan; Chaudhary Naseer Ahmed Abbas; Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar (via video link); Malik Shakir Bashir Awan; Ch. Muhammad Shahbaz Babar; Haji Jamal Shah Kakar (via video link); Syed Rafiullah; Sardar Nabeel Ahmed Gabol (via video link); Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel (via video link); Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani; Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan; Ms. Rana Ansar and Mr. Khushal Khan Kakar, MNAs. Senior officers from the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, M/o Law and Justice, M/o Parliamentary Affairs, Capital Development Authority (CDA), NCCIA, FIA, PTA, SSP Operations Islamabad and Member Board of Revenue (Punjab), also attended the meeting. The Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue, Rawalpindi, were also present.