KARACHI: In a major step toward improving identity registration services, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has launched three new 24/7 National Registration Centres (Big NRCs) in Karachi. Located in Malir Cantt, Malir, and Surjani Town, the centres will provide continuous support for CNIC issuance and family registration queries.
At a press briefing held at NADRA’s Karachi headquarters, Director and Spokesperson Syed Shabahat Ali unveiled a series of landmark reforms to Pakistan’s identity registration system — the most comprehensive update since 2002. The reforms are designed to enhance transparency, prevent fake entries in family records, and respond to longstanding citizen concerns about system efficiency.
One key change involves the child registration certificate (B-Form). It will now require photographs and biometric data for children above the age of three. Children under three will continue to benefit from simplified registration, while all B-Forms will be mandatory for passport applications going forward, replacing older formats.
The Family Registration Certificate (FRC) has also been upgraded and will now hold legal status in matters such as inheritance claims. Citizens can update their family records through NADRA’s Pak-ID mobile app, which charges the same fees as in-office services. NADRA is urging holders of fraudulent identity cards to surrender them voluntarily, assuring no immediate legal action.
