PAC panel takes dim view of NADRA’s performance

Sub-committee asks authority to address CNIC renewal issues of Pakhtuns

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel cast fresh doubts on the National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) self-professed claim of providing “hassle-free services” as it took up audit paras on Thursday while discussing important matters concerning the authority.

The Public Accounts Committee’s sub-committee, which met with Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang in the chair, looked at difficulties in obtaining computerised national identity cards (CNICs) in some areas of the country and other issues.

Gopang, the convener of the committee, expressed anguish over the absence of NADRA chairman Usman Mobin from the meeting. It was decided that the presence of the NADRA chairman would be ensured at the committee’s future meetings.

Speaking of their dissatisfaction with the authority, sub-committee members said ground realities paint a totally different picture of what the authority claimed it was providing to people.

Though the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in particular has been critical of NADRA’s performance, this time PML-N’s Gopang was among those who expressed disappointment with the way NADRA was tackling different issues.

“The minister [Chaudhry Nisar] is active and praises the authority but the ‘ground realities’ are different.”

Gopang, sharing his personal experience, said it seems the authority is not answerable to anyone. He said one could see long queues at NADRA centres, adding officials treat people rudely, and deliberately raise objections so that they could mint money.

Sheikh Rohail Asghar from the PML-N endorsed these views and said the thumb impression verification system of NADRA had technical issues.

NADRA deputy chairman Muzaffar Ali informed the committee that digitised scanning at the verification system is 99.9% accurate. However, he admitted that sometimes issues do crop up. He assured the committee of looking into the matter. “We can identify 55 million citizens in seconds,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2016.