Non-payment of dues: NADRA allows passport offices conditional access to database
Passport offices were suspended after a row with the interior ministry.
ISLAMABAD:
Passport services throughout the country remained suspended on Thursday after the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) shut down its database transfer system, cutting off access to passport offices, following a row with the interior ministry over non-payment of outstanding dues.
Passport services were conditionally restored after the interior ministry assured NADRA it would pay up Rs160 million within three months, The Express Tribune learnt from officials who asked not to be named.
Sources in the passport office said the database service remained suspended the whole day and was restored just before closing time.
“New applications for passports could not be entertained as we could not access the data,” said an official at the passport office.
“Passport fees are allocated to the passport office by the interior ministry after the money thus collected is deposited in the government exchequer.”
NADRA, which generates its own funds, had not received payment for its database system used to issue computerised passports. NADRA and interior ministry officials held negotiations to resolve the issue.
NADRA officials who talked to The Express Tribune maintained that the suspension was due to technical reasons. “NADRA updated and refreshed its database system. This caused certain problems at the technical end but it was only temporary and the system was fully restored within hours,” said a NADRA official who was not authorised to speak to the media.
Despite repeated efforts NADRA Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik could not be contacted. All other officials refused to come on record since he is the only one authorised to speak to the media.
An interior ministry official denied the suspension of services, “Passport services were functional the whole day.” He attributed the brief suspension to power breakdown at the passport office.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.
Passport services throughout the country remained suspended on Thursday after the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) shut down its database transfer system, cutting off access to passport offices, following a row with the interior ministry over non-payment of outstanding dues.
Passport services were conditionally restored after the interior ministry assured NADRA it would pay up Rs160 million within three months, The Express Tribune learnt from officials who asked not to be named.
Sources in the passport office said the database service remained suspended the whole day and was restored just before closing time.
“New applications for passports could not be entertained as we could not access the data,” said an official at the passport office.
“Passport fees are allocated to the passport office by the interior ministry after the money thus collected is deposited in the government exchequer.”
NADRA, which generates its own funds, had not received payment for its database system used to issue computerised passports. NADRA and interior ministry officials held negotiations to resolve the issue.
NADRA officials who talked to The Express Tribune maintained that the suspension was due to technical reasons. “NADRA updated and refreshed its database system. This caused certain problems at the technical end but it was only temporary and the system was fully restored within hours,” said a NADRA official who was not authorised to speak to the media.
Despite repeated efforts NADRA Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik could not be contacted. All other officials refused to come on record since he is the only one authorised to speak to the media.
An interior ministry official denied the suspension of services, “Passport services were functional the whole day.” He attributed the brief suspension to power breakdown at the passport office.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.