Over 200 arrested over issuance of fake CNICs to foreigners, Senate body told

DG FIA informs standing committee that the accused used fraudulent means to acquire national identity cards

ISLAMABAD: In a fresh crackdown against the issuance of fake Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) to foreigners, the Federal Investigation Agency has arrested more than 200 people, Director General FIA informed a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior.

Chairman National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Usman Mobin also informed the participants that more than 100 officials of the department had been dismissed from service following the arrests.

Read: 15 arrested for attesting fake CNICs

“NADRA has also closed its office located in Karachi’s Baldia area where almost all officials were involved in issuing CNICs to people bearing Afghan, Indian and other nationalities,” he maintained.

On July 24, 15 ex-nazims and councillors, including a newly-elected town member, Bashir Khan were arrested in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for attesting documents of an Afghan refugee relating to CNIC.

Read: Nisar orders action against those involved in issuing fake CNICs, passports

Taking strict notice of the counterfeit activity, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar on August 20 had directed relevant authorities to take action those involved in issuing the identity cards and passports.

Read: Attesting fake CNIC documents: Attorneys boycott court proceedings in Swabi

Talking to the provincial heads of NADRA, passport office and the FIA in Karachi, he said corrupt elements in national institutions would not be tolerated.

The committee, chaired by Senator Rehman Malik, also asked FIA to brief lawmakers on the latest findings collected through investigations into the Axact fake degree scam on September 10.