CNIC renewal saga

I have previously written about how my wife’s CNIC renewal has been delayed without proper cause. It has been around six months since I last wrote about this and the issue still lingers. After the publication of my letter ‘NADRA ordeal’ (January 10, 2024) dated in late January 2024 in this paper, I received a phone call from DG Nadra R.H.O Karachi on the same day who told me that my spouse was required to appear before the designated NADRA board/panel on January 31, 2024. I along with my ailing spouse and son appeared before the board/ panel but to my utter dismay they declined to renew the CNIC on the same pretext: submission of nationality certificate. I then lodged a complaint with the regional office of the federal ombudsman for redress. The ombudsman directed NADRA to reconsider the case of renewal of the CNIC. I was then referred to the deputy director on the first floor NADRA registration centre in North Nazimabad, Karachi.

He told us that the case would be referred to some superior office of NADRA and there I would be required to produce some evidence/record relating to my spouse’s arrival in Karachi, Pakistan. Despite the clear cut decision of the federal ombudsman directing NADRA not to create unnecessary and uncalled for hurdles in the renewal of my spouse’s CNIC, this act on the part of the deputy director, NADRA is tantamount to setting aside the decision of the ombudsman. However, despite having gone through this lengthy and time consuming exercise the fate of the matter still hangs in the balance. Due to non-renewal of her CNIC, my spouse cannot apply for the issuance of her passport when she has to visit Karbala, Iraq for the performance of Ziaraat.

Hasan Afzaal

Karachi