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• Nadra will start issuing new verification certificates from Jan 20 at all registration centres
• Move aimed at changing existing regime by enabling contactless system, resolving issues faced by citizens with faded fingerprints
• Technology widely used in United States and European countries
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has amended the National Identity Card Rules, expanding the definition of biometrics to legally recognise facial and iris scans as valid identifiers besides fingerprints, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) said on Wednesday.
The amendment, made on Nadra’s recommendation, changes the country’s biometric regime by enabling contactless fingerprint and facial recognition-based biometric verification.
From Jan 20, 2026, Nadra will start issuing facial recognition-based biometric verification certificates at all registration centres for citizens whose fingerprint-based verification is not possible.
Where any institution requires such verification, citizens will be able to obtain the certificate from any Nadra registration centre after paying a nominal fee of Rs20.
New tech
Biometric verification at banks, telecom companies and government offices has so far relied almost entirely on fingerprint matching.
When fingerprint verification fails, services are usually blocked, forcing citizens to make repeated visits to service providers or Nadra registration centres, often without any other way to prove their identity.
The new system changes this by allowing alternative and legally recognised biometric methods.
If fingerprint verification fails or cannot be performed, institutions will now be able to use facial or iris-based verification issued and confirmed by Nadra, so services and transactions can continue without delay.
Facial recognition confirms identity by matching a person’s facial features with photographs already stored in Nadra’s database. Iris recognition works by checking the unique patterns in a person’s eyes, which do not change over time. Both methods are contactless and are less affected by age, type of work or minor injuries.
These technologies are commonly used in Western countries. In the United States and Europe, facial recognition is widely used at airports, for e-passports, digital banking sign-ups and pension checks.
In a statement, the authority said the system is currently available at its registration centres and on the Pak-ID mobile application for services within its jurisdiction.
It added that it was already being used for biometric verification in the transfer of Islamabad-registered vehicles and for online passport applications.
In the near future, proof-of-life certificates for federal government pensioners will also be issued under this system, while the scope of digital services is being expanded in phases as well.
Procedure
Under the procedure, if fingerprint-based verification fails at a service provider’s end, the citizen will visit the nearest Nadra registration centre for a fresh photograph.
The photograph will be matched with the one already available in Nadra’s records. Upon successful verification, Nadra will issue a certificate stating the purpose of verification, containing the citizen’s recent photograph as well the one on record, CNIC number, name, father’s name, a unique tracking ID, and a QR code.
The certificate will be valid for seven days and will be submitted to the relevant institution, which will incorporate it into its records and verify it online through Nadra.
In the coming months, facial image-based biometric verification certificates will also be available through Nadra’s e-Sahulat franchises. Following the formal launch of the Digital ID, the facility will be extended to all services through the Pak-ID application.
In the statement, Nadra said it was fully prepared to implement this system. However, for its effective execution, the authority requested regulators, relevant public institutions and private sector organisations to “progressively upgrade their hardware and software in accordance with approved standards to enable the use of this biometric verification service”.
In the first phase, institutional software applications will need technical upgrades to integrate facial recognition-based verification certificates issued by Nadra.
In the second phase, institutions will need to install cameras at service counters or integrate them into existing know-your-customer biometric machines.
Without these upgrades, Nadra will not be able to provide the facility directly at such locations.
If citizens encounter any issues regarding the availability of the service after Jan 20, they may lodge complaints with the relevant institution, as the facility will be available from Nadra’s end.
Nadra has also requested the interior ministry to issue necessary instructions to the institutions concerned for ensuring early operationalisation of the system.
Faded fingerprints
Following the rollout of this system, Nadra expects that the problems faced by citizens whose fingerprints fade due to age or medical conditions will be resolved.
The authority noted that due to age or certain medical conditions, the fingerprints of many citizens gradually fade over time.
These citizens often face significant difficulties when accessing services at banks, SIM card franchises, housing societies or during property transfers — where fingerprint-based biometric verification is mandatory.
Upon full implementation, citizens will be able to avail this facility directly at the relevant institution without the need to visit a Nadra registration centre.
Following the formal launch of the Digital ID, citizens will also be able to access this facility independently through the Pak-ID application.
Moreover, at many service points, biometric verification is also not possible due to the use of substandard or low-quality fingerprint readers.
Nadra noted that while the State Bank of Pakistan and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority have prescribed mechanisms to facilitate such citizens, challenges persist in practice.
To address the issue, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had issued directives to Nadra, and key measures have been taken in compliance.
Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026
