Renewal of Refugee Cards Becomes a Big Business for Corrupt UNHCR-cum-NADRA Staff

Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and registered previously are supposed to get their Proof of Registration (PoR) cards renewed in anyone of the 45 registration centers set all across Pakistan till February 28, 2011.

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Through a circular circulated through related institutions and media for public awareness about the renewal of Registration of Cards of Afghan Refugees living in Pakistan, a project executed by Pakistan’s NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority)under the supervision of Ministry of SAFRON (States and Frontier Regions) with funding from the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees). The project shall run from September 20, 2010 through February 28, 2011. During these 5 months NADRA is tasked to ensure the distribution of renewal of these PoR cards to all Afghans who had been registered previously and are still residing in Pakistan.

Since Afghan refugees have lived in greater concentrations traditionally in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province previously known as North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) bordering Afghanistan, 23 of these registration centers have been opened in this province while the remaining 22 are located in the rest of the country. To ensure the registration of unregistered family members of previously registered Afghan Refugees, separate centers have been established under the title of UMRF (Unregistered Members of Refugee Families).

The project was supposed to be launched before December 2009 to allow Afghans get their PoR Cards renewed since these cards had expired in effect on the 31st of December 2009. However, it has finally been launched to enable Afghan Refugees live legally till the end of 2012. Though it is a legal process to go through registration, the process has attracted vultures that are out there biting to gain through illegal means using the plight of the poor refugees. Here’s how the process has become a source of income for UNHCR employees.

A visit to any registration center reveals the story loud and clear. Doors of the registration centers remain closed as a pretext to avoid rush and over-crowdedness. However, there are backdoor dealers. From amongst the refugees, these dealers work as agents for the people inside (registration officers tasked by the NADRA of Pakistan to work for 5 months on UNHCR funds). The cards which are supposed to be renewed without paying a single penny, costs at least Rs. 700-2500 per family. A whole chain of dealers and corrupt UNHCR-cum- NADRA employed staff is involved in this corruption that hasn’t yet made to any newspaper headline, not even locally.

The technique is simple. Family representatives come to the door; they are guided by the Peon/door keeper to the agents. Agents charge them reserving a certain amount for their boss (es) inside. Then a telephonic (Mobile) short call ensures that the family gets a TOKEN which allows them inside to go through the registration process. Though it is as clear as the day light, none has yet made any complaints against it. Refugees don’t have any place to complain since they fear a backlash from the authorities (Registration Center Staff) who would simply deny them cards and thus ensure a suffering for them in the hands of local police later.

The process shall go on in this manner for the coming five months and during these five months at least 1.7 million refugees are deemed to pay millions in bribe to get their cards renewed which legally should happen without paying a single penny for their cards have already been paid for by the UNHCR. But as it is said “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, Afghans are probably much into the society they are living as refugees and do seriously think that nothing can happen without paying bribe and the opportunists are making full use of the opportunity that has come out of nowhere.