ISLAMABAD: In a major push for data accuracy, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has cancelled 4.2 million Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) belonging to deceased citizens after successfully synchronising civil registration records with the National Citizen Database.
This massive cleanup was initiated when a cross-comparison with union councils and provincial institutions revealed that millions of individuals remained “active” in the national system despite their death records being available locally.
NADRA officials emphasised that these active cards for deceased persons create serious inconsistencies in national statistics. While families of 3 million people have voluntarily cancelled cards through recent supportive measures, the remaining 4.2 million have now been blocked under the NADRA Ordinance.
The authority has provided a path for rectification, stating that any citizen whose card was blocked due to a data error or incorrect local reporting should contact their relevant union council.
Once the local record is corrected, the individual can visit a NADRA centre to restore their status.
Alongside this cleanup, NADRA highlighted a significant gap in child registration, revealing that 14 million children whose births are registered in union councils are currently missing from the national database.
To bridge this gap, NADRA has begun sending reminder SMS alerts to parents and guardians, urging them to visit registration centres to obtain B-Forms and ensure their children are officially documented in the national system.
