The above titled article has appeared from the well known journalist Ikram Hoti in Daily The News 25 February 2005. It is not any letter to editor from a street man but from a learned professional journalist. He has drawn the attention of citizens to a very important issue. He says if you have lost your National Identity Card (NIC) or allowed a copy of it to slip away, it could be used opening of a fake business company, to do the business of supplies and exports. These companies according to him get registered and claim tax refund multi-mullion rupees say tax authorities. He narrates then details how fake shipments business is rise, how culprits keep changing addresses and are hard to be traced.
Now that a senior professional educated journalist has raised the issue I once again feel in myself a courage. The above are not merely far fetched imaginary apprehensions but keeping in view the general atmosphere we live in appear to be realities on earth and would not be any surprise if any day I find myself a victim. The gravity of it can be judged from two examples. Once a citizen received a telephone bill whereas he neither had ever any connection nor had ever applied. He approached the Federal Ombudsman when it was revealed that in the complainant’s name a PCO was working somewhere. When President General Musharraf took over and started long due campaign of recovery of banks loans a photograph appeared in press showing 5-6 illiterate looking farmers behind bars arrested for non payment of bank loans. This photograph was carried by international press also. These arrested people were too poor and according to them they had never in their life ever entered into any Bank let alone having a bank account. What they remembered was that once the area Zimidar had taken their national identity cards from them for a day. Despite now my old age in my vivid memories I still remember having read a case where on strength of a surrendered NIC of a dead man a house building loan was obtained.
The worst use of photocopying machine is by our bureaucracy. The photocopying invention has eroded from them the habit of taking back reference from their own record. The bureaucracy today wish the citizens to attach copies over copies to save these public servants from pain of tracing and seeing the same reference from their departmental files. The second dangerous use is with almost each communication from member of a public attaching a copy of National Identity Card (NIC). For example telephone department with each and every letter or application from a subscriber wants a copy of his NIC to be attached. For example against a billing complaint you need to attach a copy of NIC. If you ask last month you also deposited a copy with last month’s complaint, you will be advised to deposit fresh one. Why the staff does not see the NIC particulars from the copy previously provided and preserved in the departmental file? Why should they. The most interesting is if with your Telephone Shifting Application Form you attach a copy of your NIC which was made in 1984 having your signature on it the Department would not accept the application and would compare your signature with that appended on the Hiring Contract which you signed in 1950 while taking the connection. Late 1990s I had to few times visit an Ombudsman Office in Karachi. Federal or Provincial is not a point here. At the Reception each time I visited I had to hand over and leave there my original NIC till I remained within the Secretariat. Pakistan Law Commission web site Public Awareness Programme tells handing over one’s ID Card is not rightful and one ombudsman office which was supposed to more respect the principle demanded surrender of original ID Card.
About 4-6 years back I drew the attention of people on this subject through my letters to editor which no newspaper ever published being a foolish topic. As far as I remember I addressed this issue to the Federal Ombudsman and as well as to Honourable Supreme Court as a public interest issue. But perhaps my these addressed petitions copies of which due to my old age I am afraid might not be available now did not reach there. I also addressed this to National Reconstruction Bureau which thanked me saying my point has been added into its Idea Bank. I put the topic on a Discussion Forum where some people laughed at me and termed me crazy having time for such foolish issues. I also addressed this matter to many NGOs formed in the name of citizens welfare but non ever responded me. My argument was that Government Departments under some law should be directed not to demand unnecessary copies of one’s identity papers. They should keep one copy in file and all subsequent scrutinizing of one’s credentials should be from this preserved and recorded copy. However each time one visits or submit a letter the original could be demanded for perusal and then and there without retaining even for 2 minutes should be returned back. No body at any level heard or responded me.
Whenever I am perforce to give a copy of my or of my family NIC or passport or any other ID paper, on the photocopy invariably I write with pen ink like “this copy only for phone bill correction, this copy only for ABC bank account opening, this copy only for this”. Elders have said from the whole of a needle whole elephant passes but when a bad time comes the tail gets trapped in it.
This precaution has become more important after 9/11.