Pakistan to launch new digital ID ‘super app’ amid oversight changes

Pakistan is seeking a consultancy to help it develop a unified platform for federal and provincial government services. A new super app utilizing the national digital ID is the latest in a series of launches and reforms in the country, which also include the establishment of a new oversight body. Established in 2000, NADRA has served as the backbone of Pakistan’s identity management, but the body is becoming politicized, a former leader says.

NADRA plans digital ID super-app

The National Super App & Web Portal will rely on the National Digital Identity (NDI) system, including the National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) digital IDs for authentication and biometrics, the government announced at the beginning of August.

The project is being built under the country’s Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), a World Bank-funded project that aims to transform how the government delivers services to citizens and businesses.

The platform will serve as a one-stop gateway for both citizens and businesses. A part of the project is developing and implementing the Pakistan Digital Government Enterprise Architecture, which unifies standards and breaks down silos between departments through a shared platform and data exchange layer for interoperability.

The selected consultancy is expected to develop a modular and scalable system that integrates with Pakistan’s national digital identity and data exchange layers, while supporting future third-party services and features. This includes in-app advertising, premium services, or service fees designed to create revenue channels.

The company will deliver an end-to-end product in line with World Bank guidelines and international best practices, the Makhor Times reports.

In a July report, the World Bank stated that Pakistan has made significant progress in its digital transformation journey, leveraging national IDs managed by NADRA and the RAAST payment system.

Pakistan Digital Authority established

Digital identity framework reforms continue in Pakistan with the official establishment of the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), a body in charge of implementing the country’s national digital master plan, including monitoring and evaluating projects and enforcing the country’s data strategy.

Last week, the government appointed Sohail Munir as the PDA chairperson, an adviser for Enterprise Architecture and Digital Governance for the Abu Dhabi government’s Department of Government Enablement, news outlet Dunya reports.

Operating under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the agency is one of three bodies formed under the Digital Nation Bill, which aims to unify digital identity frameworks, centralize governance and socioeconomic data and digitize Pakistan.

The South Asian country of 240 million people has plans to build digital public infrastructure (DPI) to issue digital IDs to every citizen.

NADRA is politicized: Ex-chairman

The arrival of the Pakistan Digital Authority comes as debates continue over digital identity frameworks, including the systems developed by NADRA.

The agency’s former chairman, Tariq Malik, however, has criticized the trajectory of NADRA and called for the depoliticization of digital public infrastructure (DPI), including the ID agency.

“In the seven years since I had last led NADRA, it had degenerated from a financially self-reliant organization that made a profit into a loss-making organization,” Malik writes in a paper published by the Center for Global Development (CGD) earlier this month.

Malik served two terms as Chairman of NADRA until June 2023, when he handed in his resignation, citing the increasing difficulty of working in a polarized political environment. The agency is currently run by Pakistan Army Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir Afsar.

“For Pakistan, it is, first, important to depoliticize the governance of DPIs, including the ID agency,” Malik writes. “The pre-2023 rules should be restored, mandating transparent appointment processes for management and staff. Military leadership of civilian agencies should be banned.”

Instead, the government should insulate the agency from electoral cycles and introduce a multi-stakeholder council for DPI projects that would advocate for the interests of different sectors, including civil society and technical experts, Malik adds.

The former NADRA leader also criticized the state of the agency’s data warehouse, which hosts citizen data.

In June, the Pakistani government announced it would harmonize all government databases to ensure the centralization of biometric verification, streamlining identity verification and strengthening data security. NADRA also recently introduced new legislative reforms, designed to improve the national identity system, fight fraud and enhance its overall safety and integrity.

Article Topics

Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP)  |  digital ID  |  Digital Pakistan  |  NADRA  |  Pakistan  |  Pakistan Digital Authority  |  super app  |  Tariq Malik