IHC issues notice to Nadra in NICOP case

Islamabad

Dr. Shabbir Chaudhry, a London-based Kashmiri politician, has filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) alleging that the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has not been renewing his National Identity Card  for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) allegedly due to his political work and writings exposing Pakistan’s policy on Kashmir.

Justice Athar Minallah of the IHC, while hearing the petition, issued a notice to Nadra seeking its comments.

The petitioner has nominated the Nadra chairman, the office in-charge Nadra Registration Centre in London, UK, through the first secretary of the Embassy of Pakistan, and secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs as respondents.

The petitioner, through his counsel Nisar Shah, adopted before the court that he filed an application before Nadra, UK office, nine months before and still his NICOP has not been renewed while the NICOP of his wife was renewed within six weeks who also applied at the same time when he did.

The petitioner’s counsel told the court that his client is a Kashmiri politician, human rights activist and author of many books, and the government has been delaying issuance of a NICOP to him due to his political work and writings, which expose Pakistan’s Kashmir policy.