NADRA suggests move to stamp out crime

Says LEAs can get assistance from such an authority

ISLAMABAD: The National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) has proposed to establish the ‘National Criminal Database’ for the eradication of crimes in the country.

This idea was proposed last week by NADRA Director General Zulfiqar Cheema, who gave a presentation in the first meeting of the National Judicial Automation Committee on database for the justice sector.

The committee, led by the Supreme Court judge Justice Mushir Alam and comprising six high court judges, is expediting the use of information technology for improving the quality of service delivery in the justice sector.

According to a notification, the committee’s mandate is divided into three components. Firstly, it will formulate a time-bound action plan for devising a national automation plan to improve the justice service delivery system.

Secondly, the committee will prepare a systemic roadmap for automating the justice sector and the judiciary and accessing financial requirements for achieving the same.

Thirdly, the committee will coordinate with technical experts and justice sector stakeholders to formulate and implement suitable information technology-based solutions to improve the service delivery, including better case-flow management.

During the first meeting of the committee on December 3, NADRA chief suggested a ‘National Criminal Database Authority’ for facilitating the justice sector effectively.

A senior official in Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) revealed to The Express Tribune that NADRA director general told the participants that NADRA’s database could only be utilised in civil matters but it could not be helpful in criminal cases.

The official said the law enforcement agencies could get assistance from this criminal database authority to trace out or identify any criminal.

However, he admitted that it was the job of the federal and provincial governments to form such authority as the committee might recommend them to take steps.  He said the second meeting of the National Judicial Automation Committee will be held next month at the Lahore High Court’s premises.

The proposed National Criminal Database will consist of different features – including fingerprint identification of criminals. The authority will later compile demographic features like height, weight, age, SIMs and accounts details etc. It will also collect the rolled fingerprints and crossed finger matching.

The NADRA has also proposed facial matching through CCTV and DNA labs.

The NADRA has also proposed creation of ‘alien database’.

The DG said the database of 1.5 million Afghan refugees as well as 1 million aliens is required for the purpose.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2016.