Illegal immigrants: NADRA issues hundreds of CNICs to Afghan nationals

50 employees suspended for preparing cards for Rs10,000 to Rs20,000.

SUKKUR: About 50 National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) employees were suspended after they were suspected of issuing hundreds of computerised national identity cards (CNIC) to Afghan nationals.

On Thursday, a six-member NADRA and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team launched an inquiry at NADRA’s office in Kandhkot.

The inquiry was ordered after the federal interior ministry and Sindh home ministry took notice of the matter. The NADRA and FIA team that reached Kandhkot on Thursday comprises NADRA’s Sukkur Deputy Manager HR Hassan Mehdi, Technical Manager Mustafa Panhwar, Shikarpur Verification Deputy Manager Asia Pathan, Sukkur System Engineer Owais Memon. The names of FIA officials were not disclosed.

Ashiq Soomro, Allah Bux Golo, Sultan Suhriyani, Farman Dahar, Shabbir Daudpoto, Akbar Mirani are among the employees suspended. They are from Kandhkot, Kashmore, Thull, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Dadu, Qazi Ahmed, Sukkur, Sanghar, Daharki among others.

They were allegedly involved in preparing and issuing CNIC to hundreds of Afghan nationals and charging them Rs10,000 to Rs20,000. NADRA Sukkur General Manager Colonel Khalid Alizai was not available to comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2011.