NADRA warns millions of CNICs at risk of blocking

ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Thursday urged citizens to renew their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) before expiry, warning that millions of cards are at risk of becoming invalid.

In a statement, NADRA said that under Pakistani law, identity documents are issued for a certain period, and it is the responsibility of every adult citizen to ensure timely renewal, particularly of CNICs. Failure to do so may result in disruption or suspension of essential services such as bank accounts, mobile SIMs, and other verification-based facilities.

The authority further stated that citizens with expired CNICs may also be unable to benefit from various government and welfare programs, including the Benazir Income Support Programme, fuel subsidy schemes, and services such as property and vehicle transfers, potentially causing significant inconvenience.

According to NADRA data, approximately 27.475 million CNICs, 2.309 million overseas cards, 11.65 million Child Registration Certificates (B-forms), and 229,000 Juvenile Cards have expired and remain unrenewed. NADRA has already sent SMS reminders to affected citizens, including parents whose children have reached the age of 18 but have not yet applied for their first CNIC.

The statement also referenced directives issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on April 8, stating that active CNICs are mandatory for uninterrupted mobile services. SIM cards registered against expired CNICs or in the names of deceased individuals may be blocked at any time.

Currently, more than 8.1 million SIMs are active on around 4.5 million CNICs that require renewal. Of these, over 223,000 CNICs have been expired for more than 10 years. Citizens have been advised to renew their CNICs promptly to avoid disruption in mobile services and to transfer approximately 1.5 million SIMs still registered in the names of deceased relatives to their own names.

NADRA urged all citizens to fulfill their legal responsibility by renewing expired identity documents without delay and ensuring that individuals above 18 years of age obtain their CNICs. For this purpose, services are available at NADRA registration centers, through the Pak-ID mobile application, and at NADRA e-Sahulat franchises.

The authority warned that if renewal trends do not improve, additional fees and penalties may be imposed in the next fiscal year after June on delayed applications or renewals.