KARACHI: With the announcement of Prime Minister Imran Khan to issue identity cards to Bengalis and Afghanis who were residing as illegal immigrants up till now, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to issue at least 27,825 pending Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) without verification of parents’ cards, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday.
According to sources, the total number of pending CNICs stands at 16,772 in Karachi, Quetta 5,685, Peshawar 4,411, Sargodha 221, Islamabad 342, Lahore 243, Sukkur 144 and Multan 7.
In this regard, the NADRA (Operations) Director Ali Javed has forwarded a letter to all the Regional Head Offices (RHOs) to ensure compliance of the order and CNICs may be issued without any hindrances.
“Ministry of Interior vide para 2 (vii) of the letter under reference has decided and directed NADRA that “where the national status of parents is cleared in NADRA record, in such cases CNIC to children may be issued without any hindrance”. Accordingly, all Regional Head Offices (RHOs) were directed to implement the same in letter and spirit vide letter under the reference”, the letter said.
“Accordingly, RHOs confirmed the dissemination and implementations of the directions. However, during technical analysis of operational activities, it has been observed that about 27,825 cases have been marked UV wherein parents (father and mother) CNIC numbers are mentioned and their CNIC are either cleared or have never been blocked in NADRA record”, the letter added.
The letter further said, “Moreover, all these cases have been processed with biometric verification of parents/siblings. Marking of such cases as UV is a clear violation of Ministry of Interior/NADRA HQ’s directions. Competent Authority has taken a very serious view of this violation.”