Guj: Sindhis urge Pak govt to issue new ID cards

Ahmedabad, July 28: Concerned over non-issuance of Shanakti (Identification) cards to Sindhi migrants from Pakistan, the All India Sindhi Welfare Association has requested the Pakistan government to issue new cards and ''B'' forms for renunciation certificates and waive off the Islamabad visit stipulation.

''We have requested Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri to issue new Shanakti Cards against old ones to the Sindhi migrants as their passports are renewed,'' Mr Raju Rupela, President of Association told UNI.

Mr Rupela said migrants were required to obtain Indian nationality after settlement of five years for which a renunciation certificate, issued by the Pakistan embassy in India, should be submitted. Nearly 50,000 members of the Sindhi community have migrated from Pakistan to India in the last ten years.

However, the Pakistan embassy in India now insists on getting fresh cards from Pakistan, for which every individual has to visit Islamabad for getting the new computerised cards for adults, while a B-form for children. This Shanakati card is also required to get the passport renewed.

In a communication to Mr Kasuri, the Association said it was difficult to go to Pakistan as the new arrangement was very inconvenient.

The association said thes cards for certificate should be issued in New Delhi by charging a token fee. Talking about the harassment suffered by the Sindhi community, Mr Rupela gave an instance of one Gurmukhdas Rajani who went to Pakistan in 1998 to attend a marriage and could not make it back.

''The Indian government had banned his entry without citing any reason,'' he said.

''Mr Rajani had to spend ten years in Pakistan alone, while his family had got Indian nationality here. Our association took up the issue with the Indian government. And as a result, the government has lifted the ban on Mr Rajani's entry and we are getting him back on August 7 this year,'' he said.

''Now we are determined to solve the problems of Shanakti Card and B-Forms all over the country. We have also requested the Indian government to reduce time limit of a Sindhi migrant to India from seven to five years for obtaining nationality. We have also asked the government to reduce the rate of Visa fees for Sindhi migrants,'' Mr Rupela added.

UNI