NADRA in-charge arrested for alleged preparing fake CNICs

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has made progress in fake computerised national identity cards (CNICs) scandal by arresting an officer of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), ARY News reported on Saturday.

The FIA spokesperson said in a statement that NADRA in-charge in Umerkot Noor Muhammad Bhambhro was also arrested. The arrested officer is a resident of Chhor village Umerkot who is also accused in making fake CNICs during his deputation in Karachi.

Noor Muhammad Bhambhro has been arrested the intelligence agency’s anti-human trafficking circle. The Nadra deputy director, assistant director and  other accused had already been arrested in connection with the fake CNICs scandal.

Earlier in the day, a court in Karachi granted three-day physical remand of seven suspects, including Nadra officials, in a case pertaining to preparing fake CNICs for illegal immigrants in return for monetary benefits.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced them before the court and request their physical remand for investigation.

The court handed the suspects over to the FIA on physical remand for three days. The suspects included Ashfaq Khan, Khayal Khan, Mohammad Ibrahim, Abdul Wahab, Mohammad Rasool, Akhtar Mohammad and Afroze.

FIA officials said the suspects were involved in preparing CNICs for illegal immigrants, including Afghan and Iranian nationals.

On July 8, FIA Sindh director Amir Farooqui had revealed that Afghan agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) had got Pakistani national identity cards issued to terrorists associated with outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

He said computerised national identity cards (CNICs) for TTP terrorists had been made by using the NADRA database. The national identity cards were also issued to Al-Qaeda terrorists, whereas, a suspect involved in Safoora carnage, Imran Ali, who was an Indian citizen, had also gotten a CNIC, he added.