[Reader-list] On Cards, Qasab and Clarifications.

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear All,

It appears that Citizenship remains a contestable and negotiable
domain even when national databases are present.

Earlier the position of Pakistani establishment was, that Qasab was
not a citizen, the premise was that, his name did not figure in a
national database.

Excerpt from the story below-

-Pakistan had previously said Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab's name was not
listed in the national database of citizens.-

In so far as the position of Pakistani government vis-a-vis the issue
of Kasab's citizenship  is concerned, a complete -U- turn has
happened. They now say what that he is in fact a Pakistani Citizen.
Please read the story below for more.

In all probability a similar process using possible similar technology
sponsored by similar corporates perhaps will be used to replicate the
National Identity Card experiment in India in the name of MNIC.

What we in India need to bear in mind is that Qasab was an exceptional
case. He had killed and murdered people with impunity. There was an
immense pressure from not only from the Indian Govt. but also from
Govts all over the world on the Pakistani establishment to clarify the
Indian govt's claim that Kasab was Pakistani. Given the exceptional
nature of the situation the claims were checked and verified.

I wonder what would have happened had it not been the case? For the
sake of a thought experiment we can perhaps think more about the ways
in which we can analyze the proposal to introduce the National
Identity Card.

Lets take the case of say, one Ram Nath. Now Mr. Nath who happens to
be a landless peasant, like millions of his countrymen, was not at his
place of permanent residence when the survey party from the Government
of India came to his village, in Uttar Pradesh, for the primary survey
of MNIC. He was in Delhi working on an construction site.

This would mean this personal data will not be entered in some
national database. Which would result in him not getting a plastic
token of citizenship, that is the MNIC card. What would happen then in
so far as the question of his citizenship is concerned? Will he be
allowed to claim his Indian citizenship? Will he be allowed to claim
benefits that the GOI will dole out? Will some babu in the Registrar
General office take pains to verify Mr.Nath's citizenship status? Will
the police and other kind members of our official administrative setup
treat Mr.Nath with words of kindness and assist him in getting his
token?

Regards

Taha



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7816285.stm

BBC News

Mumbai gunman is Pakistan citizen


Pakistan has said the only surviving gunman from November's attacks in
Mumbai (Bombay) is a Pakistani citizen.

After weeks of refusing to confirm the allegations, the foreign
ministry said: "We have just been informed... that Ajmal Kasab is a
Pakistani national."

Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab was detained on the first night of the attacks.

India says all 10 gunmen were from the Pakistan-based militant group
Lashkar-e-Taiba. Relations with Pakistan, which denies any role, are
under strain.

More than 170 people died when 10 gunmen attacked Mumbai on 26 November.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has dismissed
his national security adviser, Mehmood Ali Durrani, amid the tensions
with India.

It is not entirely clear why Mr Durrani lost his job. One report
suggested it was because he had made unauthorised comments to the
media that the surviving gunman was Pakistani.

A prime ministerial statement said Mr Durrani had been sacked "for his
irresponsible behaviour for not taking the prime minister and other
stakeholders into confidence, and a lack of co-ordination on matters
of national security".

'Investigations'

It is the first time Pakistan has acknowledged any links to the gunmen
after weeks of refusing to confirm Indian claims.

"We are confirming that Qasab is Pakistani but investigations are
still ongoing," Information Minister Sherry Rehman told the BBC on
Wednesday.

Pakistan had previously said Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab's name was not
listed in the national database of citizens.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that it is not clear why the
Pakistani authorities have taken so long to admit publicly what many
officials long ago conceded in private.

But our correspondent says the Pakistani security establishment in
particular has a reputation for dragging its feet when it comes to
making any sort of military or political concessions to India.

Confirmation of the suspect's nationality comes after India provided
Pakistan with a dossier of evidence which it said linked the Mumbai
attackers and elements in Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that because of
the "sophistication and military precision of the attack it must have
had the support of some official agencies in Pakistan".

Pakistan rejected Mr Singh's allegations and accused India of raising
regional tension.
Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab faces a number of charges including murder,
attempted murder, waging war against a country and criminal
conspiracy.