ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has introduced significant changes to Pakistan’s national identity documentation system, aimed at easing public difficulties and aligning national standards with evolving social and legal requirements.
NADRA Director of Media Syed Shabahat Ali said that several key reforms have been implemented in the registration process for births, deaths, marriages and divorces. He noted that these certificates would continue to be issued by Union Councils.
A major change involves the Child Registration Certificate (CRC), commonly known as the B-Form. Photographs have now been made mandatory for children above the age of three, along with biometric data. For children under three, the CRC will be issued in the traditional format without a photo. The biometric-enabled CRC will be valid until the child turns ten, after which a new version will be issued for children up to 18 years of age. However, all previously issued B-Forms will remain valid.
Importantly, Syed Shabahat announced that new CRCs will now be required for passport issuance, and passports will no longer be processed using old B-Forms. Each child must now have a separate B-Form, and all family details can be accessed via NADRA’s mobile application.
He also stated that corrections or updates in Family Registration Certificates (FRCs) can now be made more easily. The individuals who have obtained ID cards through unauthorized or illegal means are encouraged to return them voluntarily. No legal action would be taken against them at this stage. Moreover, the FRC has now been granted the status of a legal document, making it acceptable in inheritance cases and other legal matters.
FRC is now categorized to reflect different family structures:
Parents and siblings
Husband, wife, and children
Families of men with multiple spouses
Another major reform is the introduction of choice for married women—they can now opt to list either their father’s or husband’s name on their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs).
NADRA’s media director said that the authority’s data security systems remained robust, and despite recent tensions between Pakistan and India, no breaches or complaints regarding data compromise were reported.
He stated that the investigations are underway against all NADRA officials including former chairmen, who have been found involved in corruption.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy against corruption at NADRA,” he added.
