Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) blocked more than 71,000 Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) during the past five years.
It was revealed in the documents presented by the Ministry of Interior in National Assembly. The blocked ID cards were fake or issued to ineligible person.
The authority blocked total 71,849 ID cards across Pakistan.
The breakdown shows 25,981 CNICs were blocked in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, followed by Balochistan where 20,583 cards were blocked.
Similarly, 13,564 were blocked in Punjab, 9,677 in Sindh and 1,370 in Islamabad. Authorities blocked 446 cards in Azad Kashmir and 228 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The official documents show NADRA unblocked 44,460 cards after verification during the past five years.
Earlier, The National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) is the authorised body to issue the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) living abroad including Europe.
This NADRA NICOP is designed for Pakistani nationals planning to travel abroad or settle in foreign countries.
Any citizen of Pakistan is eligible to apply for a NADRA NICOP, which enables dual nationals to enter Pakistan without needing a visa. To apply for a Smart NICOP, a valid passport number is mandatory.
Applications can be submitted at any NADRA office within Pakistan, while overseas Pakistanis can visit their respective consulates or apply online. NADRA has classified countries into two categories: Zone A and Zone B. Zone A includes European and Western countries like Canada, while Zone B comprises Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
