Daily Times

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to review and verify and dispose applications filed by people from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa whose computerised national identity cards (CNICs) were blocked.

A division bench also directed the Special Branch to expedite the process of verification and mitigate problems of applicants.

The bench headed by Chief Justice PHC Mazhar Alam Miankhel issued directions on around 20 writ petitions filed by Muhammad Umer, Noor Rahim and others.

When the hearing commenced on petitions, petitioners’ counsels argued that the applicants were residents of the province by birth and their forefathers have been residing in their respective areas since centuries.

They stated that NADRA declared most of petitioners suspicious and included their family members name to the list of foreigners and blocked their CNICs. Petitioners Altaf and Sajjad Hussain’s counsel stated that their clients names CNICs were blocked after declaring them suspicious though the petitioners have provided proof of their Pakistani citizenship. However, instead of verifying the proof NADRA refused to issue them their identity cards.

The counsels contended that NADRA was blocking CNICs without proper verification while the citizens were forced to run from pillar to post to get their cards open. They stated that the process of unblocking the cards was slow and sometimes take months.

The bench ordered NADRA and Special Branch to expedite the process of verification and submit report on next hearing.