ISLAMABAD - The Ministry of Interior Tuesday informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior that the government was all set to start negotiations with Malaysia on the issue of granting dual nationality to overseas Pakistanis.

The committee met under the chair of MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz at the headquarters of National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA).

The meeting discussed the long-standing issue of granting dual nationality to overseas Pakistanis living in Malaysia. On this, a senior official of the Ministry of Interior told the panel that the government would negotiate the matter with the government of Malaysia and get the matter resolved.

The committee approved the “Trafficking of Persons (Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2019” moved by MNA Ms. Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak.

The meeting discussed the alleged fraud committed by the Jammu & Kashmir Cooperative Housing Society about submitting wrong answer on the floor of the National Assembly.

The representative of the society informed the committee that 54 plots were not in the revised layout plan, for which the previous management was responsible and inquiry might be initiated against it.

The committee directed the ministry concerned to submit a report on the issue. The society and its registrar were also asked to submit detailed report on the issue along with all supporting documents. The committee asked the circle registrar to submit information about administrators of the cooperative society who served in different tenures and also submit detail of projects including how many people were allotted plots. The meeting also directed the circle registrar to submit details regarding societies against which action was taken against frauds committed by these and amount or land recovered from them.

The meeting showed its concerns over the alleged frauds committed by cooperative societies, and decided to hold a separate meeting on this crucial issue saying this has resulted in loss of billions of rupees to public money. The societies use name of government organizations to deceive people, a lawmaker commented.

The committee directed the circle registrar to submit detail of all registered companies and societies.

The senior officers from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) attended the meeting besides lawmakers.