The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has cancelled 4.2 million Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) after identifying that their holders had been registered as deceased in official civil records.
The move is part of a nationwide verification drive aimed at improving the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of Pakistan’s national identity database.
According to details, NADRA recently completed a major verification exercise aimed at enhancing the transparency and credibility of Pakistan’s national identity system. As part of this process, civil registration records were cross-checked with the national citizens database, leading to the cancellation of 4.2 million CNICs that remained active despite the deaths of their holders.
NADRA officials said the cancellations were carried out in accordance with the NADRA Ordinance and the National Identity Card Rules.
The authority revealed that the deaths of these individuals had already been registered with provincial civil registration authorities, including union councils. However, their families had not informed NADRA or updated the records, resulting in significant discrepancies in national demographic data.
NADRA further stated that, following a recent awareness campaign and the introduction of facilitation measures, the families of approximately 3 million deceased individuals have voluntarily approached the authority to have their CNICs officially cancelled.
The authority warned that failure to cancel the identity cards of deceased persons can lead to inaccuracies in official records. It also noted that, in some cases, the CNICs of living individuals have been mistakenly or maliciously reported as belonging to deceased persons by relatives, creating additional complications in the database.
NADRA emphasised the importance of promptly updating records to ensure the accuracy and integrity of Pakistan’s national identity system.
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