The following information was provided in a 19 October 1997 telephone interview with the Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He lived in Afghanistan from 1964-1974 where he worked as Director of the Fulbright Foundation. He travels regularly to Afghanistan and is a consultant to the UN and to the US State Department on issues relating to Afghanistan.

The Director stated that the four lines are identical in the attached samples 1, 2 and 3, and are translated as follows:

1st line: volume number (probably of the taskera)

2nd line: page number

3rd line: registration number

4th line: card number (probably of the taskera)

The 5th line (of sample 3) requests the "house number."

The Director stated that the numbers in the lower left hand corner of samples 1 and 2 and in the middle of sample 4 are probably the taskera number.

Please find attached the certified true translations of the Pashto language samples 1-4 of the attachment that was done by the Translation Services, Multilingual Translation Directorate of Public Works and Government Services Canada, in Ottawa.

Two photocopies of the Afghan Personal Identity Card/booklet (taskera) are attached, since Public Works numbered its samples differently from those sent to the Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

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. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska. 19 October 1997. Telephone interview.

Selected texts of the Afghan Personal Identity Card/booklet (samples 1-4). [Public Works and Government Services Canada. Certified True Translation].

One oral source could not provide information on the requested subjects.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact two other oral sources.