LAHORE: A constitutional petition has been moved in the Lahore High Court challenging the power of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to charge a fee for providing services to citizens, like issuance of Form-B, national identity cards and birth certificates.

Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddiqui, advocate, said in his petition that the Nadra was established under the National Database and Registration Authority Ordinance, 2000 with a view to improving database system and minimising the scope of corruption.

He said the Nadra was charging fee throughout Pakistan for issuance of Origin Card, national identity card, registration of births, deaths, marriages and deaths and Form-B. He said no notification regarding charge of fee for issuance of the cards had been prescribed or made public. Exaggerated fees were being charged either for issuance of new card, urgent card or other facilities on priority basis. Such extortion of money on any count from the public at large was illegal and unconstitutional, he added.
Source: The News
Date:5/6/2010