Dubious ID deal

By Munza Mushtaq

In an apparent dubious deal, two state institutions have placed an order with the Government Printing Department ordering a surprising 3.6 million Special Identity Cards for the use of voters without IDs at January’s Presidential Election, The Sunday Leader learns.

It is reliably learnt that while the Elections Department has ordered one million special identity cards, the Registration of Persons Department has also placed an order to the tune of 2.6 million IDs.

However, according to the Elections Department, only approximately one million are without ID cards.

Opposition parties are now questioning as to why the Registration of Persons Department has ordered for an extra stack of ID cards, which is much more than necessary.

When the Sunday Leader contacted the Commissioner of the Registration of Persons Department he said he was busy and to call back, when the newspaper tried again he was not available for comment.

No official from the Election Department was also available for comment.