ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday announced a significant overhaul of the services of Nadra, including the launch of a new mobile app and the establishment of three regional offices in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gwadar and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The Pak-ID website will be officially discontinued starting January 17, with all services transitioning to the improved mobile app.

The decision came as a response to challenges faced by citizens, particularly overseas Pakistanis, who struggled with the websites interface, including issues with scanning and uploading fingerprints and documents. The closure of the website is also aimed at combating fraudulent activities.

Scammers were exploiting fake websites to assist in creating forged identity documents and misusing citizens personal information, said Minister Naqvi.

To enhance user convenience, Nadra (National Database and Registration Authority) has revamped its mobile app to include all services previously available on the website. Citizens can now apply for ID cards, NICOP, POC, B-Forms, and FRCs from their homes.

In addition to digital advancements, three new regional offices will become operational by March 31.

These offices aim to improve service delivery in remote areas, streamline communication between citizens and Nadra officials, and ensure faster resolution of complaints.

The minister also revealed that Nadra was on track to establish offices in all tehsils across Pakistan by the same deadline. Only 19 tehsils remain without Nadra offices, and work is progressing rapidly to ensure these are operational by March 31, he added.

The move underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing accessibility and combating fraud, providing a seamless and secure experience for citizens nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and Nadra Technologies Limited (NTL) signed a significant agreement to enhance transparency and efficiency in public procurement processes.

Under this agreement, the NTL will provide biometric verification services through over 21,000 Nadra e-SahuIat for suppliers and bidders who intend to register in the e-PAK Acquisition and Disposal System (EPADS).

Project Director of PPRA Sheikh Afzaal Rana stated that by integration of biometric verification into the EPADS system, “we are taking a proactive approach to combat fraud and ensure the highest standards of integrity in public procurement.”

Chief Executive Officer of the NTL Muhammad Umar Khan said that by providing secure and reliable biometric verification services, they were confident that this collaboration would contribute significantly towards improving the efficiency and transparency of public procurement in Pakistan.

The implementation of this agreement is expected to have a positive impact on the entire public procurement eco-system and during the first phase around 35,000 bidders/suppliers will be verified.

This number will be increased to 300,000 in the near future.

Chief Technology Officer Hafiz Javed Ahmed, Principal Software Engineer Syed Abid Ali Rizvi, Principal Business Analyst from PPRA Warda Tanveer, Head of e-Sahulat Irfan Anwar and Deputy Director NTL Malik Saleem Anwar were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2025