NADRA introduces major changes to CNIC, FRC, B-Form rules

ISLAMABAD: According to the instructions of the Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Mohsin Naqvi,  the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has enforced significant changes in the National Identity Card (NIC) Rules, 2002.

The NIC Rules were initially drafted in 2002, after NADRA came into existence in 2000. On the instructions of the Minister, NADRA developed an exhaustive draft for revising the rules in light of modern needs.

The framework has been approved by the Federal Cabinet and is already operative. One of the main highlights of the new rules is the compulsory birth registration with the Union Council prior to the issuance of the Child Registration Certificate (CRC/Form B).

Under the new rules, children below the age of three are exempted from furnishing biometric information and photos. For children in the age group between three and ten years, a photo and, if available, an iris scan have to be provided.

For children between the ages of ten and eighteen, biometric information such as fingerprints, photographs, and iris scans is required. Every child will also receive an individual CRC with a defined period of validity.

These changes enhance the accuracy of the records of the child’s identity and serve a critical function in the prevention of illegal registrations as well as child trafficking.

Family Registration Certificate (FRC) has been given legal status under these reforms. Applicants will now have to provide an undertaking to verify the information given.

Citizens can only get the FRC on the basis of NADRA’s records. The three family types have been categorized by the new rules as Alpha (by birth), Beta (by marriage), and Gamma (by adoption).

Individuals have to get unlisted family members registered. The corrections could be done through the mobile application or the offices of NADRA, and wrong entries could be deleted.

In contrast to the earlier system, the new FRC will now contain complete information about men with multiple marriages to avoid confusion. Secondly, as per the new rules, married women are now being given the facility to decide whether they want to show their father’s name or their husband’s name on their national identity card, based on their personal choice.

In solving the problems citizens used to have with verification, confiscation, and cancellation of identity documents, NADRA has made some reforms. Verification boards at district, regional, and headquarters levels are now mandated by law to settle all such matters within thirty days. The regulations now apply the same procedures to certificates (FRC, CRC) as well.

The new regulations bring substantial improvements to the Teslin identity card, which remains low-cost for most citizens. These new cards include important Smart Card security features, such as bilingual data in Urdu and English, simplifying passport requests.

QR codes substitute for thumbprints, providing updated security at no extra charge. The new Teslin cards will continue to be processed rapidly and at reduced prices, making them available to an even larger group of people.

One of the major features of the amendments is the voluntary correction center, through which people holding incorrect identity records can voluntarily notify NADRA for legal safeguards and correction.

The amendments dispel misinterpretations and enhance clarity by offering clear definitions of major identity management jargon. For the first time, “biometrics” has been formally defined as personal data obtained from physical, physiological, or behavioural attributes, including facial photos or fingerprints, for single identification purposes.

This definition is now being used as a regulatory norm, which mandates all concerned institutions, including the State Bank of Pakistan, the Federal Board of Revenue, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and so on, to make their policies consistent with it.

Other important terms, such as confiscation, cancellation, digital marking, family registration certificate, and intruders, have also been defined in a very clear manner to enhance the regulatory framework.

The successful roll-out of these amendments will make Pakistan’s identity system more secure, transparent, and efficient. The reforms will discourage counterfeit identities and illegal registrations, improve delivery of services, enhance national security, and enable high-end digital governance, making Pakistan’s identity infrastructure regionally credible and resilient.