As the government takes strict measures to get maximum people vaccinated against the COVID-19, some reports suggest that fake vaccination certificates are being issued in various parts of the country.
A WhatsApp forward message, offering fake vaccination certificates at various rates, is going viral on the internet. As per the message, NADRA-certified immunization certificates are being sold at anywhere between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000, depending on the value of the vaccine.
“Without any dose… Corona vaccination registration available verified by 1166,” says the widely circulated message, offering the single-dose vaccine certificate for Rs. 15,000 and the double dose certificates for up to Rs. 30,000.
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Media reports suggest that these forgeries, allegedly associated with the vaccination drive, get citizens to fill a standard form that one would fill at any authentic vaccination center.
Tribune quoted an official saying, “Quite like the actual vaccination process, they also note the patient’s vitals and conduct necessary checkups. However, the final phase of vaccine administration is skipped, while the data is fictitiously fed in the record system.”
The Karachi police arrested at least four officials of the Sindh Health Department last week, who were involved in selling Pfizer vaccine door to door for Rs. 15,000.
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Similar cases have also been observed in district Mardan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where experts believe vaccination forgery is jeopardizing the province’s efforts towards mass inoculation.
“This is more than alarming—really serious,” warned a senior health official privy to the development.
He noted that while the government has ramped up its efforts to get the country to immunize against the virus, such practices, if not taken into account, would sabotage the entire campaign.