NA told: 376,769 CNICs digitally blocked in three years

Identity cards were impounded after they were deemed suspicious by verifying agencies

Qadeer Tanoli September 23, 2017

ISI fears non-existent internal accountability at NADRA could lead to issuance of fake ID papers. PHOTO: EXPRESS

ISLAMABAD: A total of 376,769 Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) were digitally impounded in the last three years by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) after they were verified as suspicious by the verifying agencies, lawmakers in National Assembly were told.

According to the authority, the CNICs were blocked after their documents were found to be fake and of reports by government agencies including the Intelligence Bureau, Special Branch and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

NADRA briefed the assembly after MQM’s Syed Waseem Hussain had inquired about the number of digitally impounded CNICs during the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 along with reasons of their blocking.

Scrutiny mechanism: Only 4% of blocked CNICs restored, says report

The written reply added that 124,591 CNICs have been cleared during the last three years. Moreover, 155,852 CNICs have been temporarily cleared in light of the interior ministry’s April 19 notification.

The details said a total of 96,689 CNICs were impounded in 2015. Likewise, 223,512 CNICs were impounded in 2016 and a total of 56,568 CNICs were blocked during the ongoing year so far.

The issue of blocked CNICs has been raised multiple times in both the houses of Parliament. This issue was also taken up in the standing committees of Interior and Narcotics of both houses of parliament.

A parliamentary committee headed by the deputy speaker, Murtaza Javed Abbasi was also formed to solve the issue.

The interior ministry in April this year had finalised a comprehensive mechanism to clear nearly 0.4 million suspicious CNICs blocked by NADRA.

Only CNICs of aliens blocked, claims minister

Under the mechanism, those individuals whose CNICs were blocked were required to produce the required documents issued prior to 1978 which could prove the person’s nationality, in order to clear their identity card.

The required documents include a land record registered prior to 1978, local/domicile certificate issued prior to 1978, a pedigree, Pakistani passport issued prior to 1978, attested educational certificates issued prior to 1978, government employment record prior to 1990s, and any other documents including arms or driving license or manual NIC issued before 1978.

If there documents were proven then the blocked person’s CNIC would be cleared within 6 to 30 working days.