Islamabad, February 22, 2026 – Pakistan has launched a major policy shift to achieve universal identity registration as the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) relaxed conditional verification requirements for the issuance of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), targeting the country’s remaining 1.7 percent gap in adult enrollment.
Despite achieving an impressive 98.3 percent adult registration rate, authorities acknowledge that the unregistered population remains concentrated in vulnerable demographics, particularly women, low-income districts, and remote areas with weak civil registration systems. The lack of computerized birth certificates — a primary prerequisite for first-time CNIC issuance — has long been the biggest hurdle.
Data-Driven Reform
In preparation for its Annual Report 2025, NADRA conducted its first large-scale diagnostic review in over a decade, analyzing 10 years of registration data. The exercise, carried out in collaboration with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the Election Commission of Pakistan, the National Commission on the Status of Women, and the National Commission for Child Welfare and Development, identified both administrative bottlenecks and deep-rooted socio-cultural barriers.
Officials revealed that many applicants were unable to meet documentation requirements due to deceased parents, missing family records, or the inability of women to verify lineage. Men above 24 years without documented family links and cases involving inactive digital records also emerged as major challenges.
New Facilitation Mechanism
Following these findings, the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control directed NADRA to design a tightly regulated, legally robust facilitation framework to enable first-time registration without compromising verification standards.
Approved by the NADRA Authority Board, the mechanism is grounded in Section 5(1)(b) and Section 20 of the NADRA Ordinance, 2000, and Rule 8 of the NADRA NIC Rules, 2002. The policy allows alternative verification pathways in exceptional cases and will remain effective until December 31, 2026.
Under the new framework, applicants without a computerized birth certificate can establish identity through existing NADRA records and mandatory biometric verification of immediate family members already registered. For women, verification may be carried out through documented parents and, where applicable, spouses. For men above 24, validation requires registered parents and at least one sibling, strengthening the verification chain.
Safeguards Against Fraud
While relaxing documentation conditions, NADRA has built in strict safeguards to prevent identity fraud. Exemptions are granted only in exceptional cases, such as deceased parents with existing digital records, and are subject to multilayered verification checks.
Officials involved in policy deliberations acknowledged concerns over potential misuse but stressed that long-term exclusion from voting rights, social welfare programs, inheritance claims, and mobility posed greater risks.
Fee Waiver to Encourage Registration
To further remove financial barriers, NADRA has waived fees for Teslin non-smart CNICs issued under the Normal category for applicants covered by this initiative. The move aims to support low-income families, particularly in underserved districts.
Closing the Final Identity Gap
Authorities emphasize that once personal details — including parentage, date of birth, and place of birth — are recorded, they become permanent and cannot be altered, making accuracy at registration critical. NADRA has instructed field officers to ensure strict scrutiny while encouraging eligible citizens to step forward.
As Pakistan approaches its 2026 deadline for universal identity coverage, officials believe this targeted, data-driven reform offers the strongest opportunity yet to close the final identity gap and bring millions of marginalized citizens fully into the national system.