NADRA rolls out Pakistan’s first data protection service

ISLAMABAD: In a significant development to further protect the privacy of citizens’ data, National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) Thursday rolled out Pakistan’s first data protection service putting citizens in charge of their personal information, the authority said.

This cutting-edge ‘Ijazat Aap Ki’ service will enable citizens to give their consent before verification of the CNIC, ensuring that their sensitive data is protected and secure at all times.

By giving citizens real and effective ownership and restricting unauthorised access, it has taken an unprecedented step, Nadra said in a statement.

Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik, while launching the service, said that consent management was a digital mechanism in line with his vision to protect citizens’ privacy and strengthen data security.

“Your data is your personal property, and just like your physical property, citizens are from now onwards empowered to control access and protect against misuse or unwarranted use,” he said.

The Nadra chief said service providers including banks shall seek permission from the citizen through a passcode before using their personal information.

Malik further emphasised the need for citizens to remain vigilant in protecting their personal information and urged them to take all necessary precautions to prevent identity theft and fraud.

How it will work

From March 2, all verification transactions will require a 6-digit passcode sent to the citizen’s registered mobile number to seek their consent to proceed with data sharing.

The pin number will be presented for authentication and will be deemed as the citizen’s consent to get his/her ID number verification from Nadra.

Nadra collects citizens’ mobile numbers at the time of registration for the ID card. The authority has also launched an SMS service , enabling citizens to enrol their mobile numbers.

They can send a text message containing their 13-digit ID card number on a short code to register their mobile number with Nadra. In response, Nadra will send a confirmation message to the sender in case the enrollment is successful.