After the recent claims of a senior anchorperson alleging that Zainab’s murderer owned 37 local and foreign currency accounts, which turned out to be false, it was revealed that accused Imran Ali could not even open a bank account(s), let alone the foreign currency account(s), as he holds two different national identity numbers.
Banks verify a person’s information with Nadra to prevent fraudulent activities, and decline account opening request of an individual who has two national identity numbers at the time of opening the account. This fact is easily verifiable through the Nadra Verisys available with banks.
According to Nadra’s records, prior to issuing a computerised national identity card (CNIC), accused Imran had obtained a child registration certificate (CRC) from Nadra, bearing the number: 35102-7566063-5.
Commonly known as form-B, the CRC is a document used to register minors under the age of 18 years. However, when a child, registered as minor, attains the age of 18 years he/she, under the law, is supposed to surrender CRC.
After cancelling the child registration certificate, the applicant is allotted the national identity card bearing the same identity number allotted to him/her through the CRC. In short, the identity number on the CRC of a child is his future CNIC number.
The accused Imran Ali, however, failed to inform Nadra authorities that he is a holder of the CRC. And for that reason he was issued an identity a card, bearing the fresh identity number: 35102-7459834-7.
Now, in Nadra record, he holds two identity numbers, rendering him ineligible to open a bank account as per rules.
A senior Nadra official such mistakes are common and it occurs when a person is not able to surrender CRC for one reason or another.
But, the mistake is rectified when holder of the CNIC face difficulties in opening bank account(s), applying for a passport, or get other services and then such different identity number-holder approaches Nadra for cancellation of the CRC.
“It’s not a crime as per Nadra laws but an irregularity on behalf of the applicant,” an official said.
He added that CRC of Imran Ali has now been marked as liable to be impounded by Nadra.
When asked if Nadra does not have any mechanism to find out if an applicant of the CNIC was also a holder of the CRC, the officer said, “Nadra usually process the application for CNIC but such identity cards are later marked as duplicate.”
Another official said that Nadra should investigate that how Imran Ali was allotted a fresh identity number contrary to the fact that he was a holder of the CRC.