THE online system of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) is basically intended to make it easier for Pakistanis living abroad to obtain their National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop). Unfortunately, a basic limitation in the registration process prevents overseas applicants from even completing their application.
I recently tried to register for a Nicop while living in Canada. During the online registration process, I was required to select my cellular network. The problem is that the available providers in the system are Pakistani telecom companies. Being a resident of Canada, I naturally use a Canadian mobile carrier, which has not been included in the list.
There is no meaningful way to proceed when the system requires an overseas applicant to choose a Pakistani service provider. Ironically, this is an application that is specifically designed for overseas Pakistanis, but the system does not appear to accommodate a basic requirement of living overseas: having a foreign mobile number.
This is surely not a complicated problem to solve. Nadra could simply add an inter-national/other option, allowing applicants to select their country of residence and enter a local mobile number, or otherwise provide some sort of mechanism to overseas applicants for the verification process. Pakistanis living abroad should not have to maintain a Pakistani mobile phone number simply to access a government service intended for them. Nadra should review its online registration system and make it accessible to overseas Pakistanis.
Shakeel Nizamani
Calgary, Canada
Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2026
