ID COPIES
July 12, 2025
Chief Information Commissioner Punjab has warned the public to be careful from submitting unnecessary copies of their ID Cards to avoid misuse. The Commissioner has advised people to cancel or erase with blank ink the ID Card/CNCIC Number from the copy.
2. Same warning and advice about unnecessary copies and its implications was earlier issued by NADRA.
3. Both NADRA and Chief Commissioner Information Punjab have, however, directed their advice to the wrong direction which should had in principle been for the Government Departments advising them not to demand from the public unnecessary copies and put an ordinary at risk.
4. Photocopy issue is chronic and serious. None of our NGOs, social or human rights activists ever paid any attention to it. The functionaries, rather than taking little pain in serious work, feel it “easy and safe” to ask for each time a new copy of the ID Card despite knowing the copy already existed in the file or with the earlier submitted documents by the concerned individual.
5. These ‘unnecessary” copies in effect are a large trouble for the innocent. In our beloved country no one can take it as guaranteed that on the strength of his unnecessary ID Copy submitted, a SIM, some “فالودے والے، رکشے والے، پاپڑر والے اکاونٹ ” or a Bank Loan was not registered, active or being maintained. Asif Ali Zardari talking with Hamid Mir said that theseفالودے والے، رکشے والے، پاپڑر والے were themselves responsible that they did not care that these accounts were opened in their names. On re-question from Hamid Mir unbelieving his ears, Zardari re-affirmed his reply again.
7. Supreme Court of Pakistan observed that the President of Pakistan forwarding the reference against Justice Qazi Faiz Isa did not apply his mind. No one applied in the Pakistan Post his mind introducing this “
8. Foreign Postal Administration or for that purpose the foreign Customs universally has no concern with the Pakistani sender. In case any contraband is found in the parcel, they question the Recipient abroad. If required by the foreign law enforcement agencies, under universal norms the authorities abroad would contact the Pakistani authorities who would interact with the sender in Pakistan.
9. Thousands and thousands of SIMs are working on strength of these unnecessary copies made, submitted or demanded. A DIG Police Lahore found eight SIMs working in his name without his knowledge. The famous calls we hear in our talk shows coming from “ نامعلوم ” identity are coming in effect from the SIMs working illegally issued on the strength of such unnecessary copies with naked blessing of the mobile service providers.
10. As a conscientious citizen, I repeatedly approached DG Pakistan Post, as usual not to get any response. Later I approached the Federal Ombudsman as a public interest issue. Unfortunately, due to too old age I forgot that the Federal Ombudsman had long removed the logo “Ombudsman – Citizens Friend” from its franking machine Justice Sardar Iqbal the first Ombudsman Pakistan had inserted. The Federal Ombudsman did not formally process the issue I raised. He, the protector of citizens rights, perhaps rightly felt that the issue had no substance than a figment of an old fool.
11. This old appreciate the sense of NADRA and Chief Information Commissioner in realizing the nature of the issue. On rebirth of our present day judiciary, the then Chief Justice of Pakistan who was the main headline then daily, boosted loudly that “No one would be allowed to loot the public”. This unnecessary photocopies in a way is a potential loot of another kind.
12. What an irony that bureaucrats from NADRA and Punjab Information from whom not much for public interest can be expected do take public side but our Federal Ombudsman, generally labelled as protector of citizens rights and who himself years back in public displayed claimed himself as “Citizens Friend” feel no concern in the issue.
Regards.
