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ISLAMABAD The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will issue chip-based Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) from next year with more information of the card holder and enhanced security features.
The Deputy Chairman of the Authority Tariq Malik told APP that the card would initially be issued to overseas Pakistanis and later it would replace all CNICs.
He said the purpose of the project is to facilitate the card holder, as the chip would have all the relevant data of the holder, while could be used for various purposes.
He said the present CNIC have a 3-D bar which has not much information of the holder rather it requires an on-line connection with Nadra for the verification of the card holder.
Malik said the project would be initiated on August 14 this year as a pilot project and would be completed by March next.
To a question regarding the cost of the new card, he said it would be a cost-effective project as each card would cost Rs80 to the applicant.
'We have sent eight Nadra's engineers to France for training to implement the project by the Authority,' he said adding that the international cost of each card is around $4-5 but NADRA would provide at $1 only.
He said the new card would help eliminate CNIC fraud threats including dual and fake ID cards. He added that presently, people try to apply for CNIC on fake documents but the Authority blocks their data.
The Deputy Chairman said that Nadra has a large data base of about 100 million people and so far it has issued 71.5 million CNICs including 43.2 million male and 28.3 million female CNICs.
He informed that as many as 13.750 million people get free of cost CNICs since the scheme was announced by the government.
Malik said that due to Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) the Authority observed a tremendous growth in registration of females.
He said presently, the Authority is registering 66 females daily out of 100 while in past the female registration ratio was quite low.
He said Nadra has established eight National Swift Registration Centres (NSRCs) in different districts comprising female Nadra staff to register maximum females.
In addition to this, he said separate female counters have also been set up for in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps for registering the female IDPs.
Malik added that so far 19,7000 IDPs have been registered with NADRA at camps only.
