11-14-2005, 11:25 PM
Mudassar Shahid Lahore has narrated how during his visit to NADRA at one window a vigilant Data Processing Officer doubting an entry in an applicantâs Form brought the matter to the notice of seniors who crushed the counter. The vigilant officer doubted that in the Form age of the applicant was mentioned 15 years whereas from the appearance he appeared not less than 25. On strong questioning by the team the applicant allegedly admitted that age on NADRA âBâ Form was bogus and he had given bribe to get this from at NADRA. He did this because he wanted to go abroad.
I was then working abroad. In the country of my residence there were then about three thousand Pakistanis in a very large organization. The government rule was not to issue or extend labour work permit for 60 or above. In the organization as is usual in many mega multinationals a monthly in house news letter used to be published showing who got married, who was transferred from which section to where, names of new appointees, change of date of birth etc. A British Lawyer who was employed there in a very senior post one day called me and enquired how it was possible that in case of given named Pakistanis date of birth gets changed from 10 to 15 years in their Passports as per news in the house journal. I knew the fact it was very easy. Any one by making Embassy staff âhappyâ could get his date of birth changed against the prescribed procedure. However since it was matter of Pakistan image, I replied that our people generally are not educated, there was no concept of celebrating birthdays in 1950, 1960s etc hence just by a guess date of birth was used to get mentioned in oneâs school admission, ID Card or Passport. And that now people have realized the importance they get it correct. The British Lawyer counter questioned that a mistake can be for a few months or few days not for 10 or 15 years. He then asked me, agreed to your point but how it is possible oneâs father name getting changed. I did try to explain him in vain defending the image of Pakistan but I could see smile on his fate. The fact was many a times in the department we had Passports amended with one fatherâs name from say Ghulam Akbar to Mohammad Boota (both false names for mentioning as examples) . Tthis was a routine. And this was the reason I observed during my 20 years stay that there even death telegrams from Pakistan were never believed on the remarks these can be obtained easily.
I was then working abroad. In the country of my residence there were then about three thousand Pakistanis in a very large organization. The government rule was not to issue or extend labour work permit for 60 or above. In the organization as is usual in many mega multinationals a monthly in house news letter used to be published showing who got married, who was transferred from which section to where, names of new appointees, change of date of birth etc. A British Lawyer who was employed there in a very senior post one day called me and enquired how it was possible that in case of given named Pakistanis date of birth gets changed from 10 to 15 years in their Passports as per news in the house journal. I knew the fact it was very easy. Any one by making Embassy staff âhappyâ could get his date of birth changed against the prescribed procedure. However since it was matter of Pakistan image, I replied that our people generally are not educated, there was no concept of celebrating birthdays in 1950, 1960s etc hence just by a guess date of birth was used to get mentioned in oneâs school admission, ID Card or Passport. And that now people have realized the importance they get it correct. The British Lawyer counter questioned that a mistake can be for a few months or few days not for 10 or 15 years. He then asked me, agreed to your point but how it is possible oneâs father name getting changed. I did try to explain him in vain defending the image of Pakistan but I could see smile on his fate. The fact was many a times in the department we had Passports amended with one fatherâs name from say Ghulam Akbar to Mohammad Boota (both false names for mentioning as examples) . Tthis was a routine. And this was the reason I observed during my 20 years stay that there even death telegrams from Pakistan were never believed on the remarks these can be obtained easily.
