LHC wants BISEs tell rationale for Form-B

LAHORE, The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Punjab government to question all provincial boards of intermediate and secondary education (BISEs) as to why they made submission of Form-B mandatory at the time of students’ enrolment for matriculation.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed was hearing a petition challenging power of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to charge fee for providing services to citizens like issuance of Form-B, national identity cards and birth certificates.

Assistant advocate-general Shujaat Ali Khan assured the court that he would submit reply on behalf of the provincial government by June 4, next date of hearing.

Earlier, counsel for Nadra Afnan Karim Kundi informed the court that the authority was charging fee for its services according to law and trying to provide every possible service to the masses.

Justice Azmat observed that the government should facilitate people by adopting easiest ways and try to minimise their suffering.

Deputy attorney-general Naveed Inayat Malik told the court that the reply of the federal government regarding the petition would be filed by next hearing.

Meanwhile, petitioner-lawyer Muhammad Azhar Siddique in his arguments drew the attention of the court towards faulty system of Nadra, saying the authority issued birth certificate of Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani origin US national, who was arrested by US for his involvement in Times Square incident. The petitioner said Faisal had born in US to his Pakistani parents.

He pointed out that in Pakistan people could easily manage fake identity cards and passports due to various flaws in Nadra system.

In his petition, Azhar Siddique had taken the plea that Nadra was charging fee throughout Pakistan for issuance of origin card, national identity card, registration of births, deaths, marriages and registration of minors in Form B. He said getting these cards was fundamental right of every citizen.

He prayed to the court that Nadra might be barred from charging fees on all services being provided to the citizens.