The National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) has issued 60 million computerised national identity cards (CNICs) so far, Chairman Nadra announced here Wednesday. The 60 millionth card was issued to Guli Bai a resident of Mirpur Khas (Sindh). chairman Nadra Brigadier Saleem Moeen (Retd) awarded Rs 10,000 to her at a ceremony held here at Nadra headquarters.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that with the issuance of 60 million CNIC, the authority has achieved yet another milestone and demonstrated its important role not only in building a national database but facilitating the citizens through the computerised ID card.
He said the infrastructure deployed by Nadra could process around 100,000 application in a day, while it is receiving only around 20,000 applications daily. Moeen said the authority has set up 365 swift centres across the country and 189 mobile registration vans are operational whereas the previous registration department had only 119 district registration offices.
He said that just the mobile registration vans registered and issued 130,000 CNICs last year to the residents of far flung areas. He said Nadra database is one of the most populated database in the world and probable the only one to use high-tech dual (facial and finger) identification systems.
"The Automated Finger Identification System can check one fingerprint against 16 million fingerprints on Nadra's existing database in just one second." He said the authority has not received any funding from the government since 2004. Nadra is meeting its expenses by the projects it undertakes both locally and internationally.
Briefing about its project, he said Nadra has computerised 2,600 union councils across the country which are issuing computerised birth, death and marriage certificates. He said the authority is all set to install computerised toll plaza system initially on motorways. The system will replace the existing manual system.
The Chairman said that to ensure safe and transparent business transactions Nadra has provided online verification system to the citizens through the automated kiosks using which a common man can verify the credential of the person he is doing business with. He said the through approximately four million transactions of Rs 3.34 billion had so far been paid through these machines installed across the country during the last 10 months.
To a question he said the authority blocks 200 to 400 ID card holders daily for obtaining dual CNICs, and it has become almost impossible to have dual ID. To another question, he said the suicide bombers do not carry ID card, however, the authority identified the suicide attacker of October 18 blast in Karachi through his fingerprints.