NADRA official denies processing CNIC to NatGeo 'Afghan Girl'
KP's deputy assistant director says she has been wrongfully accused in case; denies being terminated by NADRA
An image of Sharbat Bibi holding the cover she was featured in June 1985. PHOTO: STEVE MCCURRY
PESHAWAR:
A NADRA official on Thursday denied news regarding her termination for processing a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) to Sharbat Bibi, famously known as the 'Afghan Girl', and her two sons.
“I was neither in charge of that center, nor performing my duty at that office wherein Sharbat Bibi’s card was processed,” said NADRA's Deputy Assistant Director Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Palwasha Afridi at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club.
Sharbat Bibi was first photographed in 1984 by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp, situated on the edge of Peshawar.
Read: National Geographic's 'Afghan Girl' issued Pakistani identity card
She was approximately 12 years old at that time the photograph was taken. The photo has been likened with Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. National Geographic also made a short documentary about her life and dubbed her the ‘Mona Lisa of Afghan war’.
Afridi said Mohsin Ihsan, and ex-employee of Nadra, was in charge at the time and his signatures are also clearly present on the form. “Nadra unfortunately [remained silent] about the false news of my termination, and did not say anything despite knowing the facts,” she lamented.
“The scanned image of the form clearly states the date and time of application and signature of the in-charge of that office. No signature can be traced back to me, and no evidence narrates my presence and accusations,” said Afridi.
Read: Fraudulent CNIC: FIA probing NatGeo’s Afghan girl
She appealed to the Nadra chairman to take notice of the issue and form an inquiry committee to expose the persons involved, as the K-P NADRA authority had failed in this regard.
She added that the chairman himself was a technical expert authority and could scrutinise the log information for cross-examination and details of the responsible in charge. Afridi said she had sufficient evidence for removing the spot defamation from her professional career and performance.
Read: NADRA suspends Hayatabad centre official as it investigates CNIC issued to Nat Geo's 'Afghan Girl'
“I will go to the last extent to seek justice and integrity. And if the blame is not removed, I will also appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan for this act,” she said.
A NADRA official on Thursday denied news regarding her termination for processing a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) to Sharbat Bibi, famously known as the 'Afghan Girl', and her two sons.
“I was neither in charge of that center, nor performing my duty at that office wherein Sharbat Bibi’s card was processed,” said NADRA's Deputy Assistant Director Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Palwasha Afridi at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club.
Sharbat Bibi was first photographed in 1984 by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp, situated on the edge of Peshawar.
Read: National Geographic's 'Afghan Girl' issued Pakistani identity card
She was approximately 12 years old at that time the photograph was taken. The photo has been likened with Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. National Geographic also made a short documentary about her life and dubbed her the ‘Mona Lisa of Afghan war’.
Afridi said Mohsin Ihsan, and ex-employee of Nadra, was in charge at the time and his signatures are also clearly present on the form. “Nadra unfortunately [remained silent] about the false news of my termination, and did not say anything despite knowing the facts,” she lamented.
“The scanned image of the form clearly states the date and time of application and signature of the in-charge of that office. No signature can be traced back to me, and no evidence narrates my presence and accusations,” said Afridi.
Read: Fraudulent CNIC: FIA probing NatGeo’s Afghan girl
She appealed to the Nadra chairman to take notice of the issue and form an inquiry committee to expose the persons involved, as the K-P NADRA authority had failed in this regard.
She added that the chairman himself was a technical expert authority and could scrutinise the log information for cross-examination and details of the responsible in charge. Afridi said she had sufficient evidence for removing the spot defamation from her professional career and performance.
Read: NADRA suspends Hayatabad centre official as it investigates CNIC issued to Nat Geo's 'Afghan Girl'
“I will go to the last extent to seek justice and integrity. And if the blame is not removed, I will also appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan for this act,” she said.