Re-verification of all CNICs ordered

All Pakistani documents will be cancelled if found in use of aliens; Nisar gives 48-hr deadline for preparing roadmap to implement order at Nadra headquarters

ISLAMABAD: Taking swift action against the use of Pakistani CNICs by aliens, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan gave a 48-hour deadline to Nadra to prepare a roadmap to launch the “National Plan for Re-verification of CNICs of the over 180 million population.”

The re-verification roadmap has been ordered by the interior minister after questions were raised over a Pakistani passport and CNIC found from the drone-hit car wreckage site in Balochistan that was claimed to be held by Taliban leader Mulla Mansoor.

The minister was chairing a meeting at the Nadra headquarters, attended by the chairman Nadra, Director General Passports and Immigration, and officials of the FIA. “Nadra has 48 hours to submit a work plan with a set deadline for initiation of the National Plan for Re-verification of CNICs across Pakistan,” remarked the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. All Pakistani documents will be cancelled if found in use of aliens, it has been decided in the meeting.

“After the emergence of the CNIC, the message has gone to the world that Pakistan’s CNIC can be used by anyone. This is against our strategic, security and national interests,” theminister quoted the minster as saying.

"Let's not send a message to the world that Pakistani ID is easily available to anyone who is willing to pay for it. Being a responsible state, we will ensure that the usage of CNIC by any alien is completely eliminated after this exercise," remarked the minister for interior.

"This measure would help us to ensure that in future no alien will be able to use Pakistani CNIC and passport, besides removal of those aliens currently holding Pakistani CNIC ," directed the interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Nisar said that once the road-map is approved for the needed national exercise of re-verification of CNICs by Nadra, it must be ensured that general public remain at ease and "re-verification of CNIC must be done in a most cordial and friendly way."

The interior minister asked to speed up the process of blocking of Pakistani CNICs held by aliens. He said: "National security agencies will also assist Nadra in future for ensuring blocking of CNICs and verification."

The interior minister also instructed the top level hierarchy of Nadra to address the issue of blockage of CNICs of Pakistani nationals. "I have received complaints that CNICs were blocked by Nadra of Pakistanis who were citizens of the state. This must be addressed on emergent basis," remarked the minister.

The minister said that Nadra officers and its senior level hierarchy must live up to the emoluments, and perks provided to them since this money is coming from the taxes of the public maintain that "inefficient and underperforming director generals be removed from the service of Nadra."

He directed chairman Nadra to take immediate steps to purge Nadra of corrupt element on a fast track basis. He said that there should be zero tolerance for corruption at all levels and a comprehensive way forward should be put up to him in the next meeting within next few days.