Taking a stand: ‘NADRA employees not to cooperate in arms licence registration’

The decision was made by the authority’s welfare association citing security concerns.

KARACHI: National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) has refused to take part in the Sindh government’s arms licence revalidation and computerisation process in Karachi, citing security concerns for its employees.

NADRA’s employees are protesting against the crime branch police whose officials picked up their colleague, Usman Ahmed, from his home on Monday night.

He was charged with corruption in the arms licences computerisation department at the office of the District East deputy commissioner. The police released him on Tuesday evening but the NADRA employees’ welfare association is demanding that the personnel involved in the ‘illegal detention’ and harassment of their colleague be suspended.



“We will not work in the commissioner and deputy commissioners offices until they provide us with proper security,” complained NADRA Employees Welfare Association’s Karachi chapter president, Malik Irfan. He clarified that the national identity card services will continue as per routine but they will not partake in the armed licences process.

Twenty employees of NADRA were deployed at the commissioner and deputy commissioner offices for the computerisation process of the arms licences in Karachi.

“Like every citizen of the country, we demand respect and dignity,” said Irfan. “If the crime branch had any complaints against our people, they should have written a letter to our head office to conduct an inquiry.” Irfan alleged that the police had taken Rs50,000 as bribe from Ahmed’s family before releasing him.



Meanwhile, Karachi commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui told The Express Tribune, that they considered NADRA employees a part of their workforce. “We expect full cooperation from them [NADRA] and hope they will resume their jobs soon,” said Siddiqui, adding that the grievances of the NADRA employees will be addressed and action will be taken against those who violated laws.

Siddiqui clarified that neither the association nor the officials of NADRA had contacted him regarding the issue so far.

“I contacted the provincial chief of NADRA who told me that their employees had some concerns and had stopped work. I have asked him to find a way to resolve the issue to avoid trouble for the public.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2013.