KARACHI:
In Pakistan, where students and fresh job applicants already struggle with job insecurity, limited opportunities and fierce competition, they are additionally burdened by an outdated and cumbersome requirement: getting all documents attested by a gazetted officer and submitting character certificates. This rule is uniformly enforced across the country.
In today’s digital age, most academic documents and CNICs contain QR codes and can be easily verified online. Why are then applicants still required to chase Grade-17 or above officers for basic attestations? This not only wastes time but often leads to delay due to the unavailability of officials or even opens the door to unethical demands. Moreover, government departments already verify documents after a candidate is selected, making this pre-application attestation largely redundant. If someone submits fake documents, they will still be caught during the post-selection verification phase.
Even more questionable is the requirement for a “character certificate”. How can a gazetted officer, who likely has no personal connection with the applicant, credibly vouch for their moral character? In many cases, such certificates are issued by clerical staff for a small fee, further undermining their credibility.
Recently, I personally experienced how dysfunctional this process can be. At the City Court in Karachi, I approached several public prosecutors for attestation of my documents. Despite the presence of public prosecutors from multiple districts, none were willing to help. One claimed he had forgotten his stamp, another was recently transferred and awaiting a new seal, while a third simply asked me to return to my home district. It became clear that this essential requirement depends not on merit, but on navigating bureaucratic roadblocks and arbitrary conditions.
Therefore, to improve transparency, efficiency and accessibility, the government should implement a centralised digital verification system. Institutions such as HEC, NADRA and educational boards should directly validate documents online. This would eliminate the need for manual attestations, reduce low-level corruption, and save valuable time for thousands of applicants.
Muhammad Ishaque Gabol
Matiari, Sindh
