Pakistani ID cards issued to terrorists for as less as $100 bribe

Pakistan has been probing a scandal involving its National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA)officials receiving bribe for issuing identity cards to militants.

According to official documents, the country’s spy agency the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) has uncovered this during its ongoing anti-terrorism operation.

“It has been found that many NADRA officials are involved in facilitating miscreants and terrorists in obtaining fake identity,” a correspondence seen by AFP news states.

Including a retired army brigadier and a retired colonel, the names of 40 NADRA officials have so far popped up in the investigation.

Result of the current investigation reveals that the ID cards were issued to al-Qaeda and other militants such as Uzbek, Chinese and Maldivians for as less as 10,000 to 20,000 Pakistani Rupees. 10,000 Pakistani Rupees make less than $100 approximately $95.

An ID card was issued to Adnan EI Shukrijumah, one of the leaders of al-Qaeda’s external operation programme, who was wanted by the US over a plot to attack the subway system in New York City in 2009.

The US had announced a bounty of $5 million US dollars on top of his head.

Born in Saudi Arabia, Shukrijumah had also spent some times in the United States but killed in military operation in South Wazirisstan in 2014.

The investigation further reveals that a total of about 50,000 ID cards have been issued illegally in Pakistan.

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