Daily Times

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi while presiding over a review meeting regarding National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) on Thursday directed to make National Registration Policy.

The minister in a meeting said that authenticity of identity card and citizenship is of utmost importance, therefore, a comprehensive policy should be evolved in this regard.

He also directed to develop consensus of all provinces on this policy because union council has the status of foundation and access of NADRA to Union Councils is necessary in this connection.

He said that the policy will make citizen’s registration transparent and foolproof.

The new policy will also prevent illegal registration of citizenship, due to which the issue of releasing identity cards and passports to foreigners came to light, the minister said.

The plan to increase NADRA centers in six major cities was also reviewed in a meeting.

Apart from Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, Multan had been decided to be included in this plan.

The plan should be finalized and implemented in the next few days, so that people could avoid unnecessary rush and hassle, said the Interior Minister.

NADRA counters should also be started in service centers for the convenience of the people, he directed.

Home Minister’s visits and subsequent measures have reduced the waiting time from 120 minutes to 75 minutes, Mohsin Naqvi was informed in a briefing. However, the minister directed measures to further reduce waiting time. At present NADRA registration is 85% of the total population, the minster was briefed. Secretary Interior Khurram Ali Agha, Chairman NADRA Lieutenant General Mohammad Munir Afsar and senior officers also participated in the meeting.

Married women

Director General Immigration and Passports, Mustafa Jamal Kazi said on Thursday that a committee was formed to revamp passport policy, pertaining to the condition of a “married woman’s” passport bearing the name of her husband instead of the father.

The committee was tasked to address discrepancies between the policies of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and the passport issuing authority regarding married women, Kazi told a private news channel.

He said according to current policy a married woman’s passport bear her husband’s name instead of her father’s that raised concerns about contradictions between the policies of these two institutions and perceived discrimination against women.

The DG Passport further explained that while Nadra’s registration is local and used only within Pakistan, a passport is an international document and must comply with international agreements.

“Women often face difficulties when their passports use their father’s name, especially when traveling with their children without the children’s father.

This can complicate establishing the biological relationship,” said Kazi.

He noted that the passport authority has faced litigation in recent years due to issues arising from undeclared divorces.

According to the law, citizens must register and declare both marriage and divorce, but problems occur when these events are not officially documented and complicating custodianship matters, he added.

“It is legal for a married woman to enter her husband’s name along with her own in the passport,” Kazi said, emphasizing the need for proper registration and documentation to avoid complications.