Affidavit to live

Government procedures are based on distrust in citizens. Every citizen is a suspect and needs attested documents or affidavits for application or appeal to facilitate prosecution if required in future. Interestingly, bank accounts and transactions worth billions through banks are possible without attestations and affidavits. But a court order requires the account-holder’s affidavit for the bank to stop Zakat deductions.

It is interesting to see blank forms with notary public stamps available with vendors outside some government offices to be filled by customers on payment. Despite all attestations and affidavits, frauds cannot be stopped and only law-abiding citizens suffer. However, attestations and affidavits provide opportunities to some to fleece law-abiding citizens. Will the worthy government and worthy judiciary be kind enough to consider minimising the requirements of attestations and affidavits to make life easier for citizens, particularly senior and physically challenged citizens ?

M Akram Niazi

Rawalpindi