Nationality woes: Man of Bengali origin denied CNIC

A man of Bengali origin has taken NADRA to court for not giving him an identity card.

KARACHI: A man of Bengali origin has taken the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to court for not giving him an identity card.

Maintaining that he is a Pakistani citizen, Abdul Subhan filed a constitutional petition, citing the federal interior secretary, the NADRA chairman, NADRA Swift Registration Centre system engineers and the passports and immigration director-general as respondents. During the hearing on Tuesday, his lawyer argued that Subhan has been in Pakistan since 1970 and holds a ration card issued to him, has purchased property in Gorabad, Nishtar Basti, Katchiabad and has held a Pakistani passport since 1991.

The petitioner asked the Sindh High Court to tell NADRA to issue computerised national identity cards and B-forms to his grandsons and granddaughters and also direct the Federal Investigation Agency to issue his son a Pakistani passport as he has already deposited the fee.

The bench adjourned for February 3 after issuing notices to the respondents.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th,  2011.