ISLAMABAD: Interior Ministry has synergised internal security and law enforcement agencies for ensuring implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and spirit. The last two and half years have been both challenging and inspiring in terms of achievements and effectiveness, a document of the ministry highlighting efforts and achievements revealed on Tuesday. Being an integral part of operation Zarb-e-Azb, the Interior Ministry has been at forefront to counter terrorism in recent years during which it has focused on necessary operational and strategic aspects of NAP as well as Karachi operation. Since taking charge, incumbent Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan has been taking keen interest in maintenance of law and order, improving border security, policing, immigration control, visa system, issuance of identification documents to citizens including passport and computerized national identity cards (CNIC), anti-smuggling and human smuggling. The ministry has introduced numerous measures in its different departments with an objective to facilitate the citizens. As per directions of Interior Minister Nisar, attempts have brought about visible improvement in mechanisms of governmental response. In the latter half of 2014, the ministry endured extraordinary pressure in challenging circumstances in the face of a prolonged standoff between federal government and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). The dharna, that siege Islamabad Capital Territory was indeed a formidable internal security hazard, threatening lives of citizens of Islamabad, diplomatic community, the protesters themselves and officers deployed on security. Crowds comprising thousands were managed for four months by ICT administration and police under direct supervision of the ministry. It also focused on reinforcement of legislative and policy framework. Critical legislation such as POPA 2014 and Amendments to Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, the development of first-ever National Internal Security Policy and NAP are all included in this effort. Both human resource and complex procedures are now in focus to remove cumbersome bureaucratic processes and human discretion. Framing of Exit Control List (ECL) Policy and removing names of thousands of individuals languishing on these formidable lists without reason or logic directly led to public welfare and relief. Law Wing of the ministry has been restructured and strengthened to cope with ever increasing court cases. More than 300 mercy petitions were processed and death sentence execution was also reviewed. Enhancing organisational performance, capacity and accountability within the ministry and its attached departments has been a key objective, as 2,666 inquiries were initiated, 56 officers and officials were surrendered, and 49 cases were registered against officers and officials of the Interior Ministry and attached departments. The introduction of information technology (IT) and one-window operations, coupled with monitoring, is directly assisting the public. The ministry has finalised the process of verification of arms licences from 1973 till date and carried out detection of 67 fake NOCs for armoured vehicles and began proceedings against accused. The National Alien Registration Authority was merged with NADRA, and 51,365 visa applications were processed. The ministry signed visa abolition agreements with Thailand, Kuwait and Bahrain. FIA immigration laws have been extended to Torkham and an Agreement on Establishment of Higher Border Commission between Pakistan and Iran was signed. It said that Karachi operation initiated for restoring peace has reduced target killing by 53 percent, murder by 50 percent, robberies by 30 percent, and terrorism by 80 percent, while Safe City project, comprising almost 2,000 cameras and dully equipped command and control system in the ICT is near its completion. The readmission agreement with European Union (EU) (ratified in 2010) has been reviewed and reservations/irregularities vis-a-vis EURA have been communicated to EU commissioner for Migration. A comprehensive policy to regulate the registration, working, funding, monitoring and other related aspects pertaining to international NGOs was announced, which is being implemented in true letter and spirit. System is being introduced for online visa applications and complete ban was imposed on issuance of all new arms licences in order to verify and revalidate 352,843 manual licences issued during 2008 to 2013. Short Messaging Service (SMS) for passports and to get customer feedback was launched. Installation of machine-readable passport (MRP) facilities at 77 Pakistan Missions abroad (total 93). Approval for establishment of regional passport offices in 73 districts has been granted. Around 9.52 million passports issued during last two and a half years, and Rs 43 billion revenue earned and deposited in treasury. The other measures are one-window facilitation desk established for overseas Pakistanis at major airports by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), one window operation facility by Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) for issuance of driving licence, recovery of 235 grey traffic set ups, recoveries worth 6.56 billion in EOBI cases, 0.02 billions in TDAP cases, four billion in ETPB cases, and 0.45 billion in Hajj scam cases have been made by the FIA.