NADRA asked to unblock CNICs before local polls in Balochistan

28,920 cards blocked due to incomplete documents, Senate panel told

QUETTA: The Senate’s Subcommittee on Interior Tuesday directed officials concerned of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to ensure issuance of blocked Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC) to the people of Balochistan before local elections so that they are able to cast their vote.

Subcommittee’s convener Kulsoom Parveen chaired the meeting here at the Balochistan Assembly.

A Nadra official informed the committee that CNICs of over 28,920 people of Balochistan were blocked due to incomplete documents. He said 18 offices of Nadra had been established in Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Noshki, Killa Abdullah, Dalbandin, Turbat, Gwadar and Chaman, and at borders with Afghanistan and Iran, where verification process was underway to stop issuance of CNICs to foreigners.

The official said the documents of people for issuance of CNICs were verified by the respective deputy commissioners of their districts.

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Joint Secretary Home Department Dilshad Ahmed told the committee that CNICs of those persons were blocked who were found involved in illegal activities in other countries. He said a committee is formed under deputy commissioners at the district level to address the problems related to the CNICs.

Director-General Nadra Balochistan Colonel Abid informed the meeting that the verification process was ensured to prevent the issuance of CNICs to the foreigners in the border areas.           He said Nadra had authority to prevent issuance of identity cards to the foreigners. Actions would be taken against anyone having dual national identity cards, he added.

DG Nadra said they were facing difficulties in the registration of women in Balochistan and sought the help of political leaders, stakeholders and civil society for the purpose.

Senator Kulsoom Parveen instructed the Nadra officials to take measures to increase the number of employees and mobile registration vehicles to address the issues of people regarding CNICs.

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The Senate body formed a committee comprising MPAs and Nadra personnel to sort out CNICs blockage issue and submit a report within 25 days. The committee asked the MPAs to submit details about their issues regarding Nadra and their solutions in writing on Wednesday.

Senator Sardar Shafiq Tareen, Balochistan Health Minister Naseebullah Marri, Opposition leader Malik Sikandar Haya, members of provincial assembly Mir Ahmed Nawaz Bloch, Malik Naseer Shahwani, Nasrullah Zaray, Sanaullah Baloch, Akhtar Hussain Longove, Danish Kumar, Shakila Naveed Dehwar, Asghar Tareen, Malik Naeem Khan and Akbar Mengal, Nadra officials and Home Department personnel attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2019.