News
Fake passport making impossible under MRP system, official
* More funds released for expensive project instead of cheaper projects
By Ijaz KakakhelISLAMABAD: Making of fake passports with the NADRA base data presently available is impossible and more security measures are in the pipeline, said Immigration and Passport director general while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reform on Thursday.
Passport DG Mohammad Safdar claimed that in manual passport making, fraud was possible, but in Machine Readable Passport (MRP), the chance of making a fake passport was impossible. Currently, five fingers prints of a citizen are available, and soon all 10 would be made available, which will further strengthen the system. Safdar told the committee that the MRP is being replaced at all foreign mission. However, the MRP is presently being printed in Pakistan only. About the blocking of a passport, the DG said the department cancels the passport of any individual for five years if he/she involved in anti-state activities, referred by police high-ups or a state agency.
However, the decision in this regard is reviewed after five years. The DG gave a detailed briefing over the Machine Readable Passports Phase-II. The project was initiated in 2006 for the establishment of 30 regional passport offices in Pakistan and installation of MRP system at 99 Pakistan missions abroad. Total cost of the project was Rs 3.805 billion, while the revised PC-I cost of the project came out to Rs 5.974 billion. The duration of the project is proposed to be increased from 48 months to 108 months (from January 2007 to December 2015).
The committee was also briefed over Nandipur Power Project, Gujranwala. The committee expressed serious reservations over the Nandipur Power Project, particularly increasing its cast from Rs23 billion to Rs58 billion and its higher consumer price of Rs36 per unit, for which the management already applied to NEPRA. MNA Dr Nafisa Shah expressed serious concern that the government was issuing funds to such expensive project but the cheaper hydel power generation projects were confronting funds shortage. She suggested that the government should set its priority while dealing with energy related projects.
Project Director Muhammad Mehmood told the committee that the Nandipur Power Project is based on furnace oil and also on gas and it can generate 425MW power. The project delayed due to non-provision of sovereign guarantee by the government, which delayed opening letter of credit of the project etc. He also claimed that if funds were provided in time, it was impossible to complete the project on Rs 23 billion initial cost rather it would have to complete on over Rs 40 billion. He also claimed that the project management has applied for tariff determination and demanded Rs 36 per unit because the plant is running only on furnace oil only.
About 80% of physical work has been completed and the remaining work will be complete in next three months for which funds already available. Due to non-completion of project in time, he claimed the government has suffered Rs315 billion in the form of load shedding etc. Dr Nafisa Shah strongly reacted over load shedding loss and demanded of the government to provide detail lists of various power generation projects. Though the previous government may delay the Nandipur Power Project but this statement was not based on fact. Chairman of the Committee Abdul Majeed Khan Khanan Khail appreciated the government for initiating the Nandipur Power Project despite of several difficulties. Wapda official gave detail presentation on Raising of Mangla Dam Project, and demanded of the government to release Rs500 million under PSDP immediately to pay off salaries of the staff. The official also demanded to increase this allocation from existing Rs 500 million to Rs 3.2 billion in 2014-15 and also ensured release of balance of Rs1.92 billion for eventual completion of the project 2015-16.Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk