Identity cards: Afghan caught at NADRA office

Landikotal official claims it was possible someone at NADRA office be involved in making identity cards for Afghans.

LANDIKOTAL: A suspected Afghan citizen was apprehended at the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) office in Landikotal, Khyber Agency while attempting to get a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) on Monday. Daftar Khan, a Landikotal political administration official, said the man was caught at the NADRA office after they received an intelligence report about foreigners attempting to get Pakistani identity cards. Khan said they arrested three people who looked suspicious. After interrogation, two of them were released as they were residents of Pasidkhel. According to Khan, the third man was identified as Bak Muhammad, who claimed to be a resident of Shakas, Jamrud. This made no sense to Khan, who claimed if Muhammad was from Jamrud, he would not be in Landikotal for his CNIC. The official assumed Muhammad was an Afghan citizen but further interrogation is under way. Khan claimed it was possible someone at the NADRA office might be involved in making identity cards for Afghans.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2014.