UCs facing shortage of special papers to issue birth certificates

Parents run from pillar to post to fulfil NADRA’s requirement for obtaining Form B

BALAKOT:

With the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) making it mandatory for parents to collect birth certificates of their newborns from the relevant Union Council (UC) in order to obtain Form B from NADRA, citizens are in dire straits due to a shortage of security papers in the UC offices.

A large number of people are forced to return home empty-handed from the UC offices on a daily basis, while those seeking death and marriage certificates are facing the same dilemma.

The non-availability of birth certificates due to the dearth of relevant papers in the UC offices is in turn making it impossible for parents to acquire their children’s Form B, officially called the Child Registration Certificate. This is causing a great deal of distress to the citizens, as it is an important document for those under the age of 18.

As per officials, the issue of shortage of security papers from the NADRA headquarters will be rectified soon.

Citizens Mohsin Hassan, Mukhtaj Ahmed, Arshad Ali and others have demanded that the NADRA chairman ensure that the crisis is addressed on an urgent basis. Furthermore, they have urged the authorities to abolish the requirement of obtaining the UC birth certificates so that there is one less hurdle for parents in the pursuit of their children’s Form B.

They added that because of not being given a clear timeline on the availability of the requisite papers at UC offices, their repeated trips are not only making them waste valuable time but are also making considerable dents in their wallets at a time when inflation is already making everything a costly enterprise.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2022.