2,500 expired, cancelled CNICs found in Lahore drain

LAHORE: Almost 2,500 expired and cancelled Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) were found in the Shafiqabad drain (NA-125 Lahore) on Tuesday.

However, an official of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) told The News that they could not be used for any official purpose, as their data has already been updated in the Nadra system.

Furthermore, the new lists containing voters’ photos, issued by the ECP, have also been updated with pictures provided by Nadra from its data. These cards were updated due to expiry or change of different status such as marital status, change of address, change of name, correction in name, change of date of birth or any other reason. The Nadra official said all the cards had expired or were updated before 2010. “Before 2010, Nadra did not have any policy and mechanism of disposing of the expired and cancelled CNICs. However, after 2010, Nadra developed a mechanism to dispose of such cards. Now Nadra burns all such CNICs,” Nadra spokesperson added. He said an inquiry has been initiated and the culprit would be brought before public. A two-member Nadra team reached the Shafiqabad police station and launched an inquiry.

Another Nadra official termed the incident as someone's mischief. He said some individual having access to those CNIC dumped them in garbage to create doubts about the general election. He said Nadra maintains the records and those behind the incident would be traced. The Nadra system automatically creates a trail whenever a new card application is entered in the system on the basis of a fresh card, or due to expiry or updating of the status. The trail of all these CNICs is available with Nadra and now it will be investigated as who had access to them, the official added.

According to the local police, the CNICs were found in three bags. The cards belonged to residents of different areas of Lahore and not from any specific area. SHO Mudassir Rafiq Butt said almost 1,000 CNICs were found in the bags with majority of them bearing addresses of various areas of Lahore. The police have launched an inquiry into the incident.

Shafiqabad falls in NA-125 Lahore, from where Yasmin Rashid and Waheed Alam are contesting the elections from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, respectively.