NADRA rolls out ‘e-franchise’ for ID card renewal and replacement

KARACHI: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has introduced a nationwide network of ‘e-franchise’ centres to make the renewal and replacement of national identity cards (CNIC) easier for the public.

Citizens will no longer need to visit NADRA’s main offices. Instead, they can access services at nearby authorised e-franchise centers across the country.

The NADRA spokesperson, Syed Shabahat Ali, speaking on the ARY News program Bakhabar Savera, said the project began with 18 pilot e-franchises and, following positive results, has now expanded to over 2,000 centres nationwide.

How to use the facility:

Syed Shabahat Ali said the service is designed to be simple and accessible, requiring neither a smartphone nor an internet connection.

Citizens can visit their local/neighbourhood franchise, provide their CNIC number, and have their photograph and fingerprints verified from NADRA’s database to complete the process.

The NADRA spokesperson further said that the ‘e-franchise’ centres currently offer services related only to the renewal of identity cards and the reissuance of lost cards. No police report (FIR) is required for these services.

Responding to a question about data security, Syed Shabahat Ali said citizens can use NADRA’s Pak-Identity app to check when, how and by whom their data, including CNIC number, fingerprints or QR code has been accessed.

He also clarified that women applying for a CNIC are not required to present their parents’ identity cards. They can get a CNIC by using information from the B-Form, along with the husband’s registration details and a marriage certificate.