Pakistan cracking down on fake ID cards

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in Pakistan has implemented a more rigorous biometric verification process as part of its application procedure, reports Dunya News.

The nation’s top data authority already added to its biometrics toolkit in 2023, introducing iris scans as the third ID verification option on its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) in June. Now, parents and relatives of applicants will receive SMS messages asking them to confirm the head of the family through biometrics. NADRA says the move is aimed at foiling identity fraud committed with counterfeit ID cards and other fake identity documents, in the interest of ensuring the stability and security of the state.

A joint investigation team has also been convened to investigate the origins, production and distribution of illegal identity documents.

In a post on X (popularly known as Twitter), originally written in Urdu, NADRA says “various external factors such as fake documents, data verification procedures and non-compliance with the law lead to the issuance of fake ID cards,” and that “internal factors such as corruption of a few employees for financial gain also sometimes add to the problem.” The agency’s new chair, Muhammad Munir Afsar, recently told the Senate Committee on Interior that staff collusion and bribery had played a role in national IDs being issued to non-citizens.

Nonetheless, NADRA, which is an independent and autonomous agency under Pakistan’s Interior Secretary, claims its fraud-detection measures have identified and revoked more than 18000 illegal ID cards to date.

“After completing 30 percent of the internal inquiry, those responsible are subject to severe penalties, including dismissal. Disciplinary actions have been taken against those who violate the law and their facilitators. A more comprehensive system of verification and internal monitoring is being established in two phases to enhance data security.”

NADRA’s crackdown and confident reassurances come in the wake of a data breach discovered this past summer, which exposed the personal information of the majority of Pakistan’s 240 million people.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital ID  |  fraud prevention  |  identity document  |  NADRA  |  national ID  |  Pakistan