Senator Mohammad Talha Mahmood Aryan, chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior is one of the prominent senators representing the MMA.
After being involved in several welfare activities in different localities out of his own personal money in the field of education, health, financial assistance and material support during drought in Balochistan and earthquake-hit areas of the NWFP, he became member of Senate for the tenure (March 2006 to March 2012).
In an exclusive interview with Weekly Pulse Senator Talha Mehmood Aryan has warned that the masses would come on the streets and roads if the rulers failed to pull the country out of the present crises adding that some foreign elements were trying to create anarchy and chaos in the country.
“The masses would take over the Parliament. There will be en masse suicides and it would be difficult for the government to control the situation if the country’s policies were not rectified,” he said.
Government will have to create job opportunities for elimination of the prevailing sense of deprivation that prevails among the masses, he said. The senator said that the problems would be solved automatically when unemployed people will get jobs.
Senator Talha who is president Pak-Uzbekistan Friendship Society (PUFS) said that neither the country would develop nor poverty would decrease until the rulers and the politicians do not start thinking about solving the problems faced by the nation.
We will have to think for the development of the country by putting aside mutual differences, he said.
We have failed to construct Kala Bagh Dam for the last 20 years because we have no trust and confidence on each other, he said. If the political parties could not pull the country out of crises by working together then citizens would come on the roads, he warned.
Replying to a question, he said, people living in Balochistan and the tribal areas of the country are our brothers and we can resolve all problems through negotiations. He hailed government steps related to the release of political leaders especially Akhtar Mengal. Senator Talha, who is also chairman Solidarity for Social Justice Organisation (SSJ) said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had been placed under the control of the cabinet division when he had decided to take action against CDA officials involved in illegal allotment of 300 houses. At the time when the illegal allotments were made, he said, CDA was under the control of the interior ministry.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior would continue to play its role for elimination of flaws in the society and would take action where it has the authority, he concluded.
Regarding mobile phone companies he said that the Senate Standing Committee on Interior asked Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to direct cellular companies to register 35 million non-verified mobile SIMs by June 30, and block another 7.4 million SIMs obtained on fake documents by May 22.
He told that the Senate body on Interior in its last meeting was informed that there are as many as 35 million non-verified active mobile SIMs out of a total of 81 million SIMs issued. The sub-committee also directed the PTA to ensure issuance of 10 SIMs on one ID card only and take strict action against the violators.
It would also prepare a code of conduct to check the immoral advertisements on the electronic media by the mobile companies, Talha said.
The committee also asked the mobile companies to submit audit reports to Senate Standing Committee on Interior so that it could be determined that how much investment they have brought in so far, Talha said.
Talha Mehmood also urged PTA to expedite the process of blocking the unregistered and fake SIMs and impose heavy fines on those mobile companies showing reluctance in this regard.
He said that a letter has been sent to the PTA chairman to implement the decisions of the Standing Committee and provide confirmation letters from the mobile companies stating that action has been taken against the illegal connections.
He once again stressed the need for providing relevant data to Nadra for verifying the CNIC record, as it would help in streamlining the affairs.
Talha observed that remarkable growth in the cell phone industry has provided jobs to many in the country but rules and regulations needed to be strictly followed to discourage negative use of the mobile phones.
“It is in the best interest of the country and the people that connections should be issued after proper verification,” Senator Talha opined.
He said that the deadline has been given to the mobile phone companies failing which strict action would be taken.
A privilege motion has been moved by the committee against the PTA high ups and concerned mobile phone authorities for denying the presentation of the audit reports, he added.
The Senator opined that growth in the cell phone industry has changed life style but social and moral values should be kept in mind before launching packages to attract customers.
The publicity campaign on print and electronic media should not violate the norms of the society, he maintained.