SC asks Nadra to justify overcharging overseas Pakistanis

Islamabad

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Ministry of Interior to give explanation within one month for charging high rate from overseas Pakistanis for issuance and cancellation of Nadra cards.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar while hearing a suo moto case in the matter, hinted at constituting a commission to probe it. 

Chief Justice had taken suo moto notice of charging unnecessary exorbitant fee for issuance and cancellation of Pakistan Origin Card causing financial burden on overseas Pakistanis. 

On Tuesday, the court asked Chairman National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to give reasonable justification for charging high rates from the overseas Pakistanis. 

The court observed that no official has power to issue administrative orders in his personal capacity. 

During the course of hearing, Chairman Nadra filed a report. The chief justice asked him that the Overseas Pakistan should have no problem and it is his responsibility to provide them facilities. 

The Chief Justice questioned the justification for charging the high rates from the Overseas Pakistanis. The court observed that within the country people pay Rs1,600 for the executive card, while from overseas Rs25,000 are charged for the same cards.

The officials, representing Nadra however, informed the court that huge expenses are borne for operating its offices abroad, therefore the fees have been increased there. 

At this, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, another member of the bench said as to whether the officials wanted to say that the overseas Pakistan should bear the Nadra office expenses abroad. 

The chief justice inquired as to when the citizens within the country are given subsidy on issuance of cards then why there is subsidy for overseas Pakistanis.

The chief justice also questioned as to how much cost is incurred on issuance of one card. The chief justice said that a reasonable amount on it could be charged, but it could not happen that an official issue direction that $300 be charged from the Pakistan living abroad and also increase the price from cancellation of Nadra cards.

The chief justice said they would examine at what forum it was decided to charge exorbitant money from overseas Pakistanis. Counsel for Nadra sought time to present the rate chart of issuance and cancellation of card.

The chief justice however, said that they were not sitting to grant adjournments to the lawyers, adding that they have abolished now, the culture of adjournment.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that it was the responsibility of the state to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis who send huge amount of foreign remittances every year.

Meanwhile, the court sought a working paper, highlighting the mechanism as well as the basis on which Nadra charged high rates from overseas Pakistan for issuance and cancellation of Pakistan Origin Cards and adjourned the hearing for a month.