National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) has categorically denied any political bias affecting its processes regarding Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) issuance.
All standard operating procedures for such processes were clearly defined and they left absolutely no room for any discrepancies whatsoever, NADRA spokesperson said on Thursday, while refuting the impression that had been created by some sections of the press regarding the working of the authority.
The spokesperson said that NADRA had always followed a strict standard of operating procedures regarding issuance of all types of identity documents. These procedures had been set to ensure 100 percent accuracy in the registration process in order to avoid any identity theft or fraud, the spokesperson added. The NADRA spokesperson said the authority took great pride in noting that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were applied to all Pakistani nationals regardless of their social or political standing. The spokesperson further said that the rules set out for the registration of any sort at NADRA were so streamlined that they did not allow for intervention within the process by any external party. Furthermore, the NADRA spokesperson said that no citizen of the state could get his/her CNIC made or renewed without being physically present at any of the many NRCs. Hence, it was practically impossible to obtain a reprint of CNIC in the absence of the original CNIC holder, the spokesperson observed. Moreover, the spokesperson said the applicant was issued the same 13 digit CNIC number as was assigned earlier. In addition to this, all other particulars remained the same in order to ensure that no added benefits could be obtained with the reprinted (duplicate) cards, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson also said that all decisions at NADRA were taken by technical systems rather than individuals regardless of their position and authority. The NADRA spokesperson also said that that a CNIC could only appear once on an electoral roll due to “One CNIC, One Vote” policy introduced by the authority. This was the first time in electoral rolls history that no multiple entries were found, the spokesperson added.
In addition, the spokesperson said that the NADRA had strived tirelessly for electoral reforms and believed in assisting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in all possible ways for conducting fair, free and transparent elections.
