‘Issuance of free CNICs to flood-hit victims from next month’

National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Chairman Tariq Malik, after visiting the flood-affected areas of Balochistan and Sindh provinces, said that issuance of free-of-cost CNICs would be started in the flood-affected tehsils of Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh from next month.

"After the catastrophic floods, the federal government introduced stringent austerity measures, and cut expenses to help our brothers and sisters," said Malik while talking to The Express Tribune on Thursday.

NADRA took immediate steps and started the process of compiling the data of the victims related to the ongoing relief activities in the flood-affected areas, he said, adding that the date of cancellation of identity cards of victims was extended in all flood-affected tehsils.

Malik said, “NADRA has widespread infrastructure and network across in all provinces, but it was facing various challenges due to the situation caused by floods and heavy rains. On the one hand, the NADRA employees and their homes were inundated with flood water and heavy rains. On the other hand, it was a huge challenge to rebuild completely destroyed offices in those areas, and provision of seamless service of the issuance of identity cards to the victims was also a daunting task.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2023.