NADRA told to expedite CNICs verification

PHC asks authority to submit report in next hearing

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday directed the National Database and Registration Authority to review and dispose of applications filed against blocked Computerised National Identity Cards.

A division bench also directed the special branch to expedite the process of verification and mitigate problems of the applicants.



The bench headed by Chief Justice PHC Mazhar Alam Miankhel issued the directions on around 20 petitions filed by Muhammad Umer, Noor Rahim and others.

The petitioners’ counsels argued that the applicants were residents of the province and their forefathers had been residing in their respective areas for centuries.

They stated that NADRA had blocked their CNICs on basis of suspicion and added the names of their family members to the list of foreigners.

Petitioners Muhammad Altaf and Sajjad Hussain’s counsel stated that CNICs of their clients have remained blocked despite the petitioners providing proof of their Pakistani citizenship. They argued that NADRA refused to issue them their identity cards instead of verifying their claims.



The counsels contended that NADRA was blocking CNICs without proper verification while the citizens were forced to run from pillar to post to unblock their cards. They also stated that the process of unblocking was slow and sometimes took months.

After hearing the arguments the bench ordered NADRA to speed up the verification process and submit a report on the next hearing.

It also directed the applicants to appear before the verification board along with their relevant proof.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2016.