One Million "Watan Cards" Issued to Flood Affected People

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has successfully issued one million Watan Cards and 300,000 computerised identity cards free of cost while Rs 20 billion have been disbursed among the flood affectees in a record time. This was stated by Tariq Malik, deputy chairman NADRA, in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

He said NADRAwas given a daunting task to assist the government for cash assistance while provincial govts, NADRA, PDMA and partner banks jointly had to to make the project not only a success but it had to get recognition by the global community.

He said that with the issuance of one million Watan Cards, NADRA had proved its capabilities ensuring transparent aid disbursement among the flood affectees. He said throughout the whole process, NADRA ensured that no deserving flood victim should be left without cash assistance while no imposter should be entitled for the cash aid.

Mr Malik said that NADRA was striving on zero error policy to ensure that only the deserving families were issued Watan Cards enabling them to draw benefits announced by the government, adding that the system did not allow any human intervention giving space to corruption.

He said NADRA staff were working to reach out to flood victims at a stretch. He said NADRA’s last effort to distribute cash assistance to internally displaced persons of Swat and Malakand regions, using biometric technology was a role model and the international media had regarded it the best strategy for crisis management and relief effort.