Quetta: Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, Captain (R) Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai, summoned the Director General of NADRA Balochistan to the Assembly following mounting complaints from members over the indiscriminate suspension of citizens’ CNICs in order to address the long-standing issue of blocked national identity cards.

Responding to a formal ruling by the Speaker, the NADRA DG appeared in the Speaker’s chamber where he listened to concerns raised by various assembly members. The primary issue discussed was the prolonged blocking of thousands of identity cards belonging to Balochistan residents, many of whom have allegedly been flagged as Afghan nationals without concrete evidence or due process.

During the previous session of the assembly, lawmakers criticized NADRA for arbitrarily blocking CNICs for years, causing severe hardships to affected citizens, including access to basic services, employment, and mobility.

Taking note of these grievances, Speaker Achakzai issued strict instructions to the NADRA DG to resolve the matter without further delay. He emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, ‘This is not a minor administrative error. This is a matter affecting the identity, rights, and dignity of thousands of our people.’

The Speaker made a particular reference to the Chaman district, calling it a ‘hotspot’ for blocked identity cards. ‘The problem has reached critical levels in Chaman. The local population is suffering, and this must be dealt with urgently and effectively,’ he stressed.

Speaker Achakzai urged NADRA to implement swift corrective measures across all affected regions and to ensure that legitimate citizens are not deprived of their national identification due to bureaucratic negligence or baseless suspicions.