The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced the establishment of three new registration centers in Karachi, which will be set up in Malir Cantt, Malir and Surjani Town, aiming at reducing pressure on the existing centers and providing better services to the public.
NADRA spokesperson Syed Shabahat Ali, while giving details of the recent reforms related to National Identity Registration, said that these reforms are aimed at addressing public concerns. Birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates will continue to be issued through union councils.
The process of registering children has also been changed, now the child’s photograph will be included in the ‘B Form’ and Child Registration Certificate (CRC). Children below the age of three will be issued CRC without a photograph, while biometric information and a photograph have been made mandatory for children aged three and above. It will be necessary to update the CRC again at the age of ten, which will remain valid for 18 years.
Although the old B forms are still acceptable, a new CRC will now be required for the issuance of passports. A separate B form will be issued for each child. The complete family record can be viewed through NADRA’s mobile app, and corrections have also been allowed in the Family Registration Certificate (FRC). Illegally obtained CNICs can be voluntarily returned, without any penalty.
The FRC has been declared a legal document that is admissible in inheritance and other matters. Married women have the option of registering either their father’s or husband’s name on the CNIC. NADRA has also confirmed the ongoing investigation against corruption and said that a zero-tolerance policy is being followed in this matter.
