To prevent identity fraud and unauthorized entries in national databases, NADRA has launched a phone-based family tree verification system. The new system enables citizens to verify their records and report any suspicious additions. Through this initiative, the government aims to curb the misuse of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) and Pakistani passports.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry shared these developments during a recent session of the upper house. He revealed that authorities had detected over 5,000 passports issued to individuals who falsely claimed Pakistani nationality, mostly in Saudi Arabia. The holders voluntarily surrendered these passports after admitting they were not Pakistani citizens.
NADRA Launches New System to Tackle Identity Fraud:
Chaudhry stated that many individuals acquired CNICs and passports fraudulently by manipulating NADRA’s family tree database. In several instances, NADRA staff or families inserted non-nationals into family trees for personal gain. He emphasized that NADRA’s new phone-based family tree verification system now allows citizens to directly identify and report such fraudulent entries.The Ministry of Interior launched two major verification campaigns in 2014 and 2019 to clean up the national database. District-level committees led by Deputy Commissioners and Zonal Verification Boards reviewed flagged cases, reinforcing the process through a dual verification mechanism.
Talal Chaudhry clarified that NADRA does not practice provincial discrimination in its operations. “We operate on a national level and treat all regions equally,” he stated. He acknowledged, however, that Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reported the highest number of fake identity cases due to widespread abuse of the system.
The public facilitation system proved effective, as individuals submitted 71,000 complaints to NADRA about unauthorized entries in their family trees. In response, NADRA dismissed 266 employees after departmental inquiries and initiated criminal proceedings against others, including senior officials, to ensure accountability.
Chaudhry assured the House that authorities would thoroughly re-examine and re-verify any case that parliamentarians highlight, to uphold the integrity of the national identity system.
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