According to the Director of the Complaint Unit at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Lahore, Pakistan, only people with criminal records or facing trial would have to report to the authorities when relocating inside Pakistan (21 Apr. 1999). The Director stated that such procedure is "very, very exceptional" and would not apply to people who are not criminals. Pakistani citizens, including Mohajirs and MQM members and their families, who possess identity cards from their city of origin in Pakistan and move to another area of the country are not subjected to a verification of their identity cards either prior to, during or following their relocations. Unless they decide to do so, Pakistani citizens who move to another area of Pakistan do not have to obtain new identity cards indicating their new address. The authorities do not have to be informed of Pakistani citizens' relocations and it would not be signalled to them as suspect. There is no practice whereby the government obliges Pakistani citizens moving to another area of Pakistan to return to their city of origin.

The Director stated that the identity card is a national card that can be used everywhere in the country. Pakistani citizens who move inside Pakistan can do so freely without informing the authorities. If they wish to change information (such as a new address) on their card, people should go to the city where they are registered because the identity card system is not computerized and it is easier to conduct such administrative changes directly in the city of origin. However, changes to the identity card can be made from the new city of residence where local authorities send the application to the city of origin by mail. The Director added that Pakistani citizens moving to another area of Pakistan could keep the same identity card without making any changes to their address.

Pakistanis travelling inside the country on buses or airplanes do not have to show their identity cards in order to buy a ticket. It would be very difficult for the authorities to keep track of the population's movements inside Pakistan. Unless the person is a primary target of the security forces, the police do not have the resources to follow or keep track of MQM members or their family members. For example, the government computer system is inadequate and slow, and is of no use in tracking down people from one part of the country to another.

Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Director of the Complaint Unit, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan. 21 April 1999. Telephone interview.

Electronic sources: Internet, WNC, LEXIS-NEXIS