The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has cancelled around 4.2 million Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) of deceased individuals. The action follows reconciliation of civil registration records with the national citizen database to ensure accuracy and prevent fraud.
Many CNICs remained active even after deaths were registered, often because next of kin did not apply for cancellation. NADRA verified deaths through provincial civil registration systems before cancelling the CNICs, ensuring the integrity of the national database.
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Under legal mandates, NADRA maintains vital life-event information, including births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Citizens affected by erroneous cancellations can visit the nearest NADRA registration center for biometric verification and immediate restoration of their CNICs without any fee.
NADRA had previously waived the cancellation fee and removed the requirement to submit the deceased’s CNIC, which led to voluntary cancellations of roughly 3 million CNICs by families. The current exercise ensures all remaining active CNICs of deceased individuals are deactivated.
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The authority has also launched outreach to link birth registrations with the national identity system. SMS notifications are being sent to parents of 14 million children registered locally but not yet included in NADRA’s system. Child Registration Certificates (CRC/B-Forms) will soon be available through NADRA’s e-Sahulat network to improve accessibility nationwide.