WHEN we face social injustice in society, it seems our government departments are striving hard to make things more difficult and messier for those who are already in misery and frustrated, leave alone providing relief and justice. One such example is the sorry state of affairs at the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

Being the industrial relations manager in a private organisation, it is disheartening to note the plight of widows of our workers owing to red-tapism, and strange and illogical Nadra process for claiming dues.

Many of the deceased industrial workers’ widows having children aged below 18 years have been facing frustration and problems, for they are required to seek a so-called ‘decline certificate’ by Nadra to apply for succession and guardian certificates from the courts.

Those widows having under-18 children are not eligible to get succession certificates directly from Nadra.

They first have to pay Rs15,000 to Nadra for a decline certificate to later apply for succession and guardian certificates by paying more to the lawyers and court fee.

To put it simply and straight, Nadra does not directly provide succession and guardian certificates to under-18 children of deceased workers, and, instead, it simply provides a decline certificate for an amount which widows cannot arrange immediately or easily because most of them happen to be from the under-privileged sections of society.

As a result, widows struggle and do not get what they deserve and, indeed, need, like final settlement and group insurance. The payments keep getting delayed for months after the death of the worker.

The whole process is mindboggling, and seems to be a method by Nadra to earn revenues from a disadvantaged segment of society.

When Nadra has no role in providing succession and guardian certificates to under-18 children, why one has to seek a ‘decline certificate’ after paying Ra15,000, which is an unnecessary financial burden on widows, especially in these challenging times when we all are badly impacted by hyperinflation?

Nadra should do away with the existing process, and if that takes time, it should bring down the fee to Rs1,000 right away. This can happen overnight because it is simply an administrative matter, and not some policy decision.

Naveed Ahmed
Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2023