ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has developed National Sex Offenders Registry (NSOR) platform coupled with an SMS verification service to help citizens and institutions identify and track individuals convicted of sex crimes against children and women.

It is a dynamic database of sexual convicts. The links are established with various law enforcement departments and provincial governments so that updates are made in real time.

This move is aimed at making the service more dynamic and responsive to the needs of the institutions and people at large in preventing sexual violence and abuse.

An SMS-based verification service will alert citizens, employers and departments to beware of such culprits.

“This initiative has always remained close to my heart, which is a critical step towards safeguarding women and children from sexual violence and abuse,” according to Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik.

Move aimed at preventing sexual violence and abuse

He announced that citizens could now use this service to verify the CNIC number of individuals being hired for household chores, at mosques, colleges, universities, or any other employment to ensure they are not sexual convicts, have a clean record and can be trusted around women and children.

Mr Malik said: “Preventing even a single instance of child or woman from sexual abuse is not just an act of protection but also an investment in the future of our country.

We owe it to the weakest of the weak, and our nation has to take this responsibility seriously.

“We must recognise that preventing child and women sexual abuse is not just a matter of punishing offenders, but also of creating a culture of safety and protection for the most vulnerable segments [children and women]. Only then can we ensure that the next generation has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”

The purpose of this service is to provide citizens and institutions with quick and easy access to information about sex offenders.

The information can also be used to locate offenders to prevent future crimes and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.

Upon provision of CNIC by the individual being hired, the citizens can verify whether he is a convicted sex offender or not by sending a 13-digit CNIC number to 7000 (SMS short code). Upon verification he/she will receive a reply in Urdu: “Beware! ABC son of XYZ is a convict. Don’t let him be around children and women.”

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2023