MUZAFFARGARH: A visually impaired man has announced a hunger strike against local official of National Database and Registration Authority for denying him his computerised national identity card (CNIC).

“I was born blind but that does not mean I have no identity,” Azeem, a resident of Hajipur area, said while relating his ordeal to this correspondent on Tuesday.

He said he repeatedly visited the local Nadra office where most of the time security guards won’t allow him inside. He alleged an officials told him that since he was blind he didn’t need a CNIC.

He said he was chairman of local blind persons association and wanted to play a useful role in society but was disappointed by attitude of the officials and others who made him realise he was handicapped.

Azeem never seeks help for performing daily tasks and uses a white stick to move around.

He alleged that despite producing all the valid documents to Nadra officials he was being denied CNIC.

He said he had started hunger strike against Nadra official because of their attitude and would continue it till he got his CNIC. He appealed to interior minister Chaudhry Nisar to take action against the officials concerned for denying him his right.

Nadra officials concerned expressed their ignorance about the whole issue.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2015

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