No hurdle left in e-NICs issuance, Senate tells govt

KABUL on Sunday asked the government to start issuing computerized National Identity Cards (e-NIC) as no hurdle to the project remained after the amendment of Article Six of the Census Law.

Senator Anarkali Hunaryar from Khost province told the upper house that the continuation of crisis was not in the interest of Afghanistan and asked the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to kick start the process by obtaining their own NICs.

Rona Tarin, a lawmaker from Kandahar province, said: “Fueling crisis over computerized NICs is not in the interest of Afghanistan and instead would generate more serious issues.”

Jumma Din Gyanwal, a lawmaker from Paktia province, said: “The government should not allow computerized NICs process to be delayed just because of ‘a handful individuals.’

Senate second deputy speaker Mohammad Asif Sediqui said all parliament members should respect the decision of the joint commission of both the houses.

The joint commission in its last meeting agreed to amending Article Six of the Census Law, but some lower house lawmakers disagreed with the decision, thus the process was delayed.

The distribution of the computerized identity cards became controversial over the induction of religion, nationality and ethnicity in the cards, preventing the project for years.

nh/ma