While NADRA has contradicted the sensational report by British tabloid accusing its staff of involvement in making fake identification documents, British High Commission has accused Pakistan of being global leader in visa forgery. The Sun report was based on a sting operation using a dual nationality holder of Pakistani origin.
The presence of unauthorised agents outside passport offices, vehicle registration offices etc points to collaboration between agents and officials. If these agents were not enjoying official patronage, they would not have been allowed to function openly in full view of public and security staff deputed at these public offices. People pay these agents to either speed up the process, or circumvent any hurdles because of lack of proper documentation required for processing.
When officials deputed at such offices are seen to be living beyond their means, then that surely indicates their indulgence in irregularities. Moreover, reports that posting to some of these offices is made on ‘recommendations’ or sold to highest bidder also allude to the unfortunate fact that all is not well in the working of the department.
The sad reality is that people in Pakistan do possess more than one passport, or other identification documents and do manage to get through our immigration counters at airports or seaports and finally get caught at destinations where they are deported. While the deportees are punished by immigration on arrival, conveniently the officials responsible for facilitating them with these fake papers are not. This proves that such irregularities do enjoy patronage by senior bureaucrats, or their political godfathers and various security agencies tasked to prevent such illegalities from occurring.
SHAHZAD KHALIL
Sialkot