Re-verification drive: NADRA cancels CNICs of genuine citizens

Document of Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s sister has also been blocked

ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) has allegedly cancelled the Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) of genuine citizens in its re-verification drive, drawing the ire of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) towards NADRA.

The JUI-F leadership is of the opinion that hundreds of genuine CNICs in its constituencies have been blocked during the campaign. Whereas PkMAP representatives allege that NADRA’s credibility is at stake after the news of it providing fake CNICs to thousands of foreigners, in which some were renowned terrorists, spread throughout the country.

The Express Tribune has also learnt that the CNIC of Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s sister has also been blocked in the verification process.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party (ANP) views the drive favourably but has stated that the CNICs of genuine Pakistanis must not be blocked.

During the ongoing campaign 334 foreigners have already surrendered their fake CNICs voluntarily. However, some 50,000 CNICs have been identified as that of intruders (foreigners).

Meanwhile, NADRA‘s top echelons has identified 18 of its employees who have been involved in the fraudulent practice of providing CNICs to foreigners on a large scale. These employees, according to the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, will face the music in the coming days. NADRA’s re-verification campaign had been launched on the directives of the interior minister in July after the killing of Mullah Akthar Mansour. It was revealed that Mansour was holding a Pakistani passport and a CNIC with the name of Wali Muhammad.

Senator Attaur Rehman of JUI-F told The Express Tribune that hundreds of CNICs have already been blocked in his party’s constituencies.

“Kakakhel, Niazi, Suliman Khel and other clans have been living in JUI-F’s constituency long ago and their CNICs have been blocked,” said Rehman. NADRA officials have been ignoring the confirmation of MNAs and MPAs of the area as well to unblock those CNICs.

He questioned as to “why the attestation of MNAs and MPAs of the area is not being accepted regarding CNIC’s unblocking and what else is required to do so and why people who are Pakistani are not being accepted as Pakistanis?”

Senator Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar of PkMAP claims that NADRA has blocked 200,000 CNICs of the Pakhtun community before the launch of its campaign. The number of CNICs to be blocked under the ongoing exercise is yet to be known, according to him.

And despite the high court’s order, these CNICs are not being unblocked. He remarked, “NADRA is targeting Pakhtuns and causing severe restlessness amongst them.”

Kakar said that the surfacing of thousands of fake CNICs has placed a question mark on the credibility of NADRA.

Senator Shahi Syed of the ANP appeared to speak favourably about the re-verification exercise. Such campaigns, according to him, will ultimately strengthen the country. However, he said, the CNICs of genuine Pakistanis must not be blocked.

When the interior ministry’s spokesman was contacted, he said that there is a standard procedure to attest the nationality of someone under the law which is being practiced in Pakistan for the past many years. He added that it’s not the responsibility of the interior ministry to confirm the nationality of some person and even the members of the parliament of any country don’t hold the status to confirm their nationality.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2016.