The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) is likely to issue the 60 millionth Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) this week. According to a Nadra official, this landmark achievement is a testimony to the authority's commitment to the very cause of its formation CNIC.
Nadra has so far received 59.97 million applications till the end of last week, out of which 59.94 million cards have been received by the applicants while 0.03 million are ready to be distributed.
Nadra has established 365 swift centres across the country and 189 mobile registration vans, whereas previous registration department had only 119 DROs. These enhanced registration facilities will help the local/remote population to make their cards at their doorsteps.
A total of 5,983,223 applications for CNICs including 468,419 for Child Registration Certificates (CRCs) have been received during January 1 to 19 October. Also, 201,095 CRCs have been converted into CNICs this year. Around 234,368 National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop) had been issued during the aforementioned period, of which as many as 52,817 CNICs were converted into Nicops.
When inquired about the solutions to citizens' problems regarding CNICs, etc, a Nadra official said the Nadra's call centres had been working relentlessly to facilitate the masses which could be gauged through the fact that during the current year up-till last week as many as 2,792,495 calls/queries out of which only around 32,025 complaints of various nature had been lodged with the authority, of which 29,695 had been resolved while around 2,330 had been under process.
Under Nadra's designed Multi Bio-metric Passport System, around 4.3 million Multi-Biometric Passports, facial and fingerprint images, PKI and other security features compliant with ICAO standards have also been issued since October, 2004.
Besides making national database, Nadra has also developed solutions, based on biometrics and RFID technology, and has the largest IT infrastructure in Pakistan with qualified technical and managerial resources enabling Nadra to provide customised solutions to any country.
Based on its performance in the field of high-tech ID documents, Nadra had once again secured the honour of being one of the top 50 IT companies of the world for consecutive three years. These steps have remarkably reduced the identity theft in Pakistan.