GUJRAT: The Nadra system installed at the Computerised Land Record Centres (CLRCs) to verify the thumb impressions and other identity data of an applicant has been dysfunctional across the province for more than a week.

The respective officials say the matter has already been brought into the notice of the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA).

The verification of each and every individual through Nadra’s link at CLRCs is a mandatory requirement for every transaction whether it is for the issuance of an ownership document (fard malkiat) or a mutation of the property’s ownership from one owner to another.

Talking to Dawn outside a centre, a farmer complained about the lengthy procedure, inefficient staff and inept system as, according to him, he had become a shuttlecock between the centre and Nadra office to get his personal data verified for the issuance of an ownership document.

Applicants facing inconvenience for verification

“The [respective] officials asked me to go to the nearby Nadra office to get [my] thumb impression and identity card verified,” he said.

Official sources told this reporter that the [verification] system installed at the CLRCs had not directly been linked to Nadra as PLRA had a contract with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) that would connect the system to Nadra which was quite complicated and would often function slowly. The centre charges Rs20 per verification.

However, they said the system at registration branches and passport offices had directly been linked to Nadra which charges Rs50 per verification, so the PLRA should have a direct link with Nadra for smooth functioning.

A senior officer of the PLRA was quoted by sources as telling the in-charges [of centres] that the authority was engaged with Nadra for signing a [direct] contract which could take time for execution.

However, he directed the officials concerned to opt either for [Nadra] E Sahulat or seek a verification by numberdar for the identification of a person until the resolution of the issue.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2017