ISLAMABAD, June 3: As many as 37.40 million applicants out of 37.67 million citizens, who have applied for Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), have been issued CNICs by National Database Registration Authority (Nadra).

In his written reply to a question put up by Syed Naveed Qamar in the National Assembly here on Thursday, The parliamentary secretary for interior, Sanaullah Mustikhel, said the applications of remaining 0.27 million citizen were under process.

The parliamentary secretary said the Nadra had taken a comprehensive programme to ensure that maximum citizens apply for CNICs and they were issued the cards.

Giving the detail of the steps, he said a campaign had been launched for awareness of masses through both electronic and print media. He said a network of 121 Nadra field office were functional all over the country to enable the public to apply for CNICs through forms.

Mustikhel said 181 Nadra Swift Registration Centres (NSRCs) had been established in last two years to book CNIC applications through inter active data entry. He added that 27 mobile vans were operational to cover remote population of the country.

The government, he said, has created facilities for obtaining CNIC's and is further making endeavours to expand the NSRCs network to all parts of the country. -APP