Olympics passport scam: NADRA investigation finds no wrongdoing
Tabloid’s investigator had his own NIC renewed through legal procedure.
LAHORE:
According to National Database and Registration Authority’s (Nadra) investigation into the Olympics passport scam, no fraud or illegal act was committed while issuing the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) and passport to The Sun investigator as claimed by the tabloid.
The documentary and video evidence scanned by the Nadra shows that the tabloid’s investigator Mohammad Ali Asad was present at the office in person for the renewal of his expired NIC.
According to Nadra’s database, Asad had first obtained his NIC in 2002. He later immigrated to the UK and has been living there for the past 8-10 years. Asad was issued a UK Passport in 2011, with the same name and picture as per his Nadra records. However, the passport bears a fake place and date of birth.
Asad, as an undercover agent for The Sun, travelled to Pakistan on July 8, 2012. He visited the Nadra office in Baghbanpura, Lahore to get his CNIC photo updated on July 10.
Asad’s CNIC was updated after comparing the data with his previous record held in Nadra database.
Once his CNIC was modified, Asad started the process for acquiring a machine-readable passport on July 13, which was delivered to him on July 18.
Since the same person applied to renew his own ID card and for provision of a passport, nothing illegal was done, Nadra stated.
The national authority termed The Sun report an attempt to undermine Pakistan’s identity card and passport issuance systems.
Earlier, the Cabinet had ordered Nadra to file a defamation suit against The Sun.
The NADRA presentation on the Olympics passport scam investigation can be seen here.
According to National Database and Registration Authority’s (Nadra) investigation into the Olympics passport scam, no fraud or illegal act was committed while issuing the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) and passport to The Sun investigator as claimed by the tabloid.
The documentary and video evidence scanned by the Nadra shows that the tabloid’s investigator Mohammad Ali Asad was present at the office in person for the renewal of his expired NIC.
According to Nadra’s database, Asad had first obtained his NIC in 2002. He later immigrated to the UK and has been living there for the past 8-10 years. Asad was issued a UK Passport in 2011, with the same name and picture as per his Nadra records. However, the passport bears a fake place and date of birth.
Asad, as an undercover agent for The Sun, travelled to Pakistan on July 8, 2012. He visited the Nadra office in Baghbanpura, Lahore to get his CNIC photo updated on July 10.
Asad’s CNIC was updated after comparing the data with his previous record held in Nadra database.
Once his CNIC was modified, Asad started the process for acquiring a machine-readable passport on July 13, which was delivered to him on July 18.
Since the same person applied to renew his own ID card and for provision of a passport, nothing illegal was done, Nadra stated.
The national authority termed The Sun report an attempt to undermine Pakistan’s identity card and passport issuance systems.
Earlier, the Cabinet had ordered Nadra to file a defamation suit against The Sun.
The NADRA presentation on the Olympics passport scam investigation can be seen here.