Staff Reporter
People crowded outside offices of the National Database and Registration Authority across the country in huge numbers on Monday after the institution reopened its offices after more than a month.
Most people who visited the offices were recipients of the Ehsaas Cash Programme. They were at NADRA to get issues regarding their fingerprints and national identity cards resolved so that they could receive the Rs12,000 in cash through the programme.
The people however, failed to comply with rules of social distancing while waiting outside the offices. According to witnesses, they did not wear gloves or masks and stood very close to each other.
The authority has drawn circles outside its offices to help the public with distancing, but no one adhered to them.
According to the NADRA spokesperson, people had been strictly told to call the authority helpline, 7000, get an appointment and then visit the centres. “Most people here have turned up without doing that,” he said.
NADRA, on the other hand, has been following the COVID-19 SOPs issued to it by the Ministry of Information. Visitors are being disinfected with sprays, screened for fever and provided hand sanitiser at the entrance to its offices.
“It was important to reopen the offices for the biometric verification of people registered under the Ehsaas Programme,” said Sindh NADRA Director-General Mir Ajam Khan.
We have ensured that all safety measures against the novel coronavirus are implemented at the offices, he said, adding that help from the police and Rangers has also been sought to manage the crowds visiting the offices.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered offices in cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to be reopened after the PM’s aide on poverty alleviation, Dr Sania Nishtar, had said that the coronavirus relief operation was being affected due to the closure of NADRA offices.The ministry had closed down all NADRA offices on March 20 amid the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
