The National Database and Registration Authority were established in the year 2000. Controlled by the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, It is an independent agency that monitors government databases which carries information about the national citizens of the country.
National Database and Registration Authority ID Cards
The main features and objectives mentioned below portrays the importance of the National Database and Registration Authority for all the Pakistani citizens especially the Overseas Pakistanis-
- Managing and controlling the sensitive registered database of all the national citizens of Pakistan statistically.
- Providing power to enact civil registration and sensitive registration of the citizens.
- The major purpose behind the National Database and Registration Authority was to build a secure and easily accessible system for issuing the National Identity Cards such as NICOP/SNICOP, POC, and CNIC.
- A new idea of E-government to connect the government and its services to its citizens by maintaining transparency and avoiding the role of middlemen.
- Conveyance of administrative and social services to the Pakistani citizens.
- National development by addressing the poverty-stricken citizens and providing them with NIC to improve their purchasing power.
Benefits of National Database and Registration Authority ID Cards –
There are various benefits one enjoys by issuing a National Database and Registration Authority ID card, such as-
- Passport registration,
- Visa-free entry to Pakistan for the Overseas Pakistanis
- Getting a Driving License
- Purchase or sale of property
- Enrolment in schools and universities
- Filing a legal affidavit
- Enjoying all the protection and rights of being a Pakistani citizen such as to cast a vote
- Purchase or sale of a vehicle
- Social insurance and writing funds
- Opening a bank account
- Paying taxes
- Utility connections ( phone cable, TV cable, water and gas connections etc.)
Features of a National Database and Registration Authority ID card
A National Database and Registration Authority ID card is a unique number of 13 digits, issued at the birth of the individual and is further registered by his/her parents. Once the individual is of the age of 18, the same number is issued and registered with some modifications about age and address and stored in the NADRA database. The card bears information like the name, gender, father and mother’s name, DOB, current and permanent address, Identification mark, NIC number, family tree ID number, date of issue, date of expiry, religion, signature, photograph, and fingerprint of the individual.
Applying for National Database and Registration Authority ID Cards
In order to apply online for the National Database and Registration Authority ID Cards, the following steps should be followed-
- Create an account by visiting the website of NADRA.
- A PIN code will be sent by the National Database and Registration Authority to your registered mobile number or the email id for verification purposes.
- Once verified, log in to your account.
- All the terms and conditions must be thoroughly read and accepted.
- Accept the guidelines and then continue to the next service page.
- Check the CNIC/NICOP for the ID card and start filling the application carefully with correct information.
- Click the next button once all the information is filled and follow the steps.
- Upload a photograph and then print a copy of the form.
- Get the form attested from a grade 17 officer and later upload the same copy online.
NADRA security and Tracking of NADRA ID Cards
Being one of the safest ID cards, NADRA because of its security concern, incorporated 36 security features in various layers of the card’s physical design. Since the card has multiple layers, each layer consists of its own security features. Some of the most talented software developers resent at NADRA have successfully encrypted a chip in the National Database and Registration Authority ID Cards. A new approach to ‘remote verification’ of the citizens was introduced by the National Database and Registration Authority. The citizen places the card on the card reader which will be verifying its authenticity and the reader itself will verify its originality to the card. If both the verification is completed successfully, the reader will ask for the fingerprint of an individual on the NADRA card. Hence, this will enable the verification of the citizen even in the most remote places of the country.
The National Database and Registration Authority smart card is tracked by a tracking ID which is a 12 digit number, that is to be sent to 8400 and the concerned person shall receive the tracked location and other information of the cardholder.
