TALKING to media on Saturday, Interior Minister Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed said that as many as 200,000 computerised national identity cards (CNICs) fraudulently obtained by Afghan nationals have been cancelled. He said these cards were issued to Afghan nationals on the basis of bogus documents including fake birth certificates. This calls for effective steps to rectify the situation.
It is a matter of satisfaction that NADRA remains consistently involved in re-verifying its data so that no alien or illegal migrant could enjoy undue privileges by obtaining country’s identity card through fake documentation. The latest figure disclosed by Interior Minister is not small and these figures keep pouring in every now and then. Many such cases have also been disclosed in which aliens including those belonging to Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar and India obtained the CNICs. This clearly implies that there are elements within the NADRA that are hand in glove with criminal elements to mint money. Since this is an important matter of national security, these elements need to be nabbed at the earliest and brought to justice so that nobody in future could dare to resort to such an act.
As regards Afghan refugees, the country has a data of 1.5 million but about 800,000 are living illegally in the country. For long, Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees with an open heart yet prospects in neighbouring country are high now after initiation of intra-Afghan dialogue, our government must actively engage with Afghan government so that these refugees could go back to their homeland at the earliest. These refugees are not only a burden on our economy but many of them also pose a security risk. It is time for international community to come forward and fulfil its responsibility and commitment towards these refugees. It must not only facilitate their return but also financially support the Afghan government to create much needed pull factor for them in Afghanistan.
