KARACHI - Jamaat-e-Islami activists on Saturday staged a day-long protest against policies of Nadra that have allegedly made lives of tens of thousands of Karachiites miserable.

A large number of JI workers and people from all walks of life participated in the demonstration. The protesters carrying placards and banners chanted slogans against the authority.

A complaint cell was also set up at the protest venue outside the Nadra office in Orangi Town. A large number of affected people brought their protest on record at the camp.

Addressing the protesters, JI Karachi chief Engr Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said the campaign against the authority will continue till their demands are accepted. He said that Nadra authorities have been using unfair means to increase the miseries of people, particularly Pashto and Bangladeshi speakers. "Don't turn patriotic Pakistanis against the state," he warned.

The JI chief said that Nadra officials asked applicants to show documents which were not even mentioned in the standard operating procedures for acquiring a computerised national identity card. Those Bangladeshi speaking people who preferred Pakistan over Bangladesh are now punished for their decision, he said, adding that this illogical practice would have to come to an end.

He announced a series of protest demonstrations against Nadra in Landhi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and other areas. He warned Nadra authorities to mend their ways or get ready to face the anger of the masses. The JI District West head and other JI leaders also addressed the demonstration. Several affected people also shared their ordeal with the participants. The protesters vowed to continue the campaign till acceptance of their demands.