Records at risk at haphazard registry office

Most files have been dumped outside the office premises, along with trash

MULTAN: Important record and files are at risk as the city’s registry office, under the district administration, has been in shambles for the past few years. Stakeholders fear that these records could be stolen or lost at any given time.

A visit to the registry branch revealed that the past record of thousands of individuals have been stored in large bags and dumped at different places inside the office room. Other records have been tossed with the trash outside the registry office.

Sources said three months ago, important records were stolen from the registry office and could not be found till date. They highlighted that unidentified suspects stole the documents by breaking open the door locks. A case was registered against the incident at the Chehlek police station.



To make matters worse, the building of the registry office remains in a crumbling state and could collapse at any moment as the district administration has failed maintenance the structure. During the recent rains, water entered the rooms and important records had been damaged as a result.

Raza, a local, tells Express News that he visited the registry branch office to seek land records, but could not the relevant documents as they had been lost. He urges the government to compile the records in a single place to facilitate people.

Shakeel Haider, a resident of Nawan Sheher, says the registry office is in a pathetic condition. “It is the responsibility of the district administration to keep the record in a safe place,” he maintained.

Another local, Amjad Farooq, says, “It is even difficult for the officials working at the registry office to find records of people as they have been stacked without a proper code or name.”

He adds people are facing hardships in finding records due to the negligence of authorities.

Meanwhile, people demand that authorities take notice of the matter and improve conditions at the registry office.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2019.