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LAHORE, Jan 17: Union council secretaries are 'fleecing' the citizens approaching them for getting the birth certificates of their children.
The union councils have been authorized to issue the birth certificates since the establishment of the district governments in 2001 and the National Database and Registration Authority has linked their offices to its network by providing computers there.
Births and deaths were previously registered only by the municipal committees at town and district levels. The UCs are authorized to charge a fee of Rs100 for issue of a birth certificate.
Late fee at the rate of Paisa 50 per day subject to a maximum Rs100 is also payable in addition in case the application for issue of the registration certificate is submitted after more than a month.
The fee schedule has not been displayed at most of the UC offices and the secretaries extort more than Rs100 for the registration of a birth and several hundred rupees in case of late registration.
Citizens were protected against overcharging during the period of registration of births and deaths by the town and district municipal committees because the fees were deposited directly in the bank accounts of the civic bodies in accordance with the government procedure.
The secretaries manage to overcharge the citizens by deviating from the prescribed procedure of getting the dues deposited in the UCs' bank accounts and receiving the fee in cash.
NBP OFFICERS: The National Bank of Pakistan Officers Welfare Association has demanded announcement of the overdue pay package, promotions and payment of equal emoluments to old and new officers.
A statement issued here on Monday said the pay package and promotions had become overdue by more than a year. Only half the 1999 batch officers had been promoted though it was indicated that the entire batch would be promoted.
It urged the bank president to take notice of injustice in promotions ordered on the basis of liking and disliking and order promotion of officers whose cases were kept pending.
It said the pension issue should also be resolved on humanitarian grounds and postings in foreign countries should be made purely on merit. Grade I officers and vice-presidents should be provided Suzuki Cultus cars.
