ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Friday that 86,340 fake Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) were identified and blocked in last six months during the re-verification process.
While addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Friday evening, he said that during the campaign, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) sent Short Message Service (SMS) to 101 million citizens.
Nisar said that during this year 223,000 CNICs were blocked while 4, 50,000 CNICs and 32,400 Passports were blocked during the tenure of the present government.
The interior minister said that proactive efforts were being taken to restore the CNICs of those who had valid documents.
The minister announced to form an 18-member Parliamentary Committee to oversee the verification process of CNICs, and NADRA would brief the Committee weekly and decisions would be taken on fast track.
Chaudhry Nisar said that no concrete steps had been taken in past and during the tenure of last government, only 517 CNICs and few Passports were blocked. He said that there was no example of verification before 2011 and these national important documents were issued to foreigners and were used in human trafficking, terrorism and other illegal activities which led to defame Pakistan in the world.
While appreciating officers and officials of NADRA for their effective and praiseworthy role in the verification process, Nisar said that the officials of NADRA involved in issuing illegal national documents would be brought to justice.
In reply to a question, he said that everyone was equal in the eyes of the law and indiscriminate actions were being taken against all the criminal cases. He also said that all the cases against corruption would be taken to logical conclusion according to the law.
To another a question, he said that the Committee probing the news leak issue was given one month extension to submit its report which would be made public.
