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A proposed NADRA counter at the Pakistan Embassy in Tokyo, expected to benefit nearly 30,000 to 35,000 Pakistanis living in Japan, has remained stalled for the past three to four months due to delays in the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC), despite receiving formal approval from NADRA. According to official documents, NADRA granted in-principle approval for the establishment of the counter on April 22, 2026, and requested the relevant authorities to issue the required NOC without delay. The documents stated that the counter would become operational immediately after the NOC is issued. The delay has prevented the project from moving forward, leaving thousands of overseas Pakistanis in Japan facing continued difficulties in accessing essential identity and registration services. Sources said the initiative was made possible through the persistent efforts of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Chairman Syed Qamar Raza Shah. During his visit to Japan in April, he met members of the Pakistani community, listened to their concerns, and identified the absence of NADRA services as one of their most pressing issues. After returning to Pakistan, Shah reportedly pursued the matter with the relevant departments and raised it at senior government levels, resulting in NADRA’s formal approval for establishing the counter at the embassy. Under the approved plan, NADRA agreed to provide biometric machines, fingerprint devices, cameras, technical support, and staff training. The Pakistan Embassy in Tokyo is responsible for providing office space, computers, internet connectivity, furniture, and other administrative facilities. Officials said all technical and administrative arrangements have already been finalised. However, the project remains on hold because the required NOC has yet to be issued by the concerned ministry. As a result, Pakistani nationals living in Japan continue to face significant challenges in obtaining or renewing national identity cards, completing family registration, biometric verification, and accessing other NADRA-related services. Members of the Pakistani community in Japan have praised Syed Qamar Raza Shah for his efforts, saying the project would likely not have reached the approval stage without his personal involvement. They urged the relevant authorities to demonstrate the same commitment by removing the remaining administrative hurdles and ensuring that the approved project is implemented without further delay. The community has also appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar to personally intervene and direct the concerned authorities to issue the pending NOC so that the NADRA counter can be established at the Pakistan Embassy in Tokyo as soon as possible, providing long-awaited relief to thousands of overseas Pakistanis.

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has criticised Pakistan’s bureaucracy. He described it as the country’s “real and permanent rulers.” Asif said bureaucrats had remained largely beyond effective accountability during Pakistan’s 78-year history. He said politicians had faced accountability on numerous occasions. Other powerful groups had also been held accountable at different times. However, he said it was difficult to find similar examples involving senior bureaucrats. The defence minister made the remarks while sharing a social media post about alleged financial corruption involving a senior bureaucrat. Asif said the bureaucracy had gradually become a powerful and largely untouchable class. He questioned why bureaucrats had not been subjected to the same level of scrutiny as politicians. According to Asif, politicians themselves were partly responsible for the situation. He said political leaders had failed to establish an effective system to hold the bureaucracy accountable. The minister also referred to a former bureaucratic ruler while discussing the influence of senior officials in Pakistan. He said the former official used highly inappropriate and insulting language against politicians. Despite this behaviour, politicians continued to tolerate him, according to Asif. Asif’s comments highlight his criticism of the imbalance in accountability among powerful sections of Pakistani society. His remarks also raise questions about the role of the bureaucracy in governance and decision-making. The minister maintained that stronger accountability was needed for all powerful groups. He suggested that politicians could not blame bureaucrats alone for the existing system because political leaders had also contributed to its continuation.