Pakistanis seek mobile identity card units

Monday, Dec 19, 2005

By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief

Al Ain: Pakistanis living in Al Ain have been having difficulty applying for their new computerised identity cards as they must go to Abu Dhabi or Dubai along with their families. A number of residents seek mobile registration units, which they say, will save time.

The embassy has been issuing non-machine readable passports with just a year's validity to those who do not have a Nicop.

Pakistan's National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) has established two swift registration centres at the missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for online data entry and delivery of the cards.

"We have yet to take up the matter," he said. The official said a top Nadra official will visit the UAE next month. "We will take up the issue then."

People living in Al Ain and other far-flung areas can still use paper forms for Nicop registration.

Mohammad Abbas, Al Ain resident, said the embassy is ignoring the problem. "It's strange that Nadra has yet to develop a system to reach out to every Pakistani or to handle the great demand and yet the cards have been declared a must for all."

Meanwhile, the Nicop registration centres at Abu Dhabi and Dubai have increased the application fee to Dh60. An official at the Abu Dhabi centre said this is a nominal increase and would not hurt the applicants.

Meanwhile, the swift centre is working to distribute about 32,000 Nicop cards. "We have distributed almost half of the cards," said the official.