ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has notified a new set of reforms to tighten identity verification procedures, the regulator said on Monday, amid an ongoing nationwide crackdown on illegal foreigners and document fraud.
The development comes as Islamabad continues deportations of foreigners living illegally in Pakistan as part of a crackdown launched in 2023. Most of these foreigners are Afghans who fled to Pakistan over the past four decades to escape war, political unrest and economic hardship.
The new verification regulations introduce a structured process to examine doubtful identity records and establish verification boards responsible for inquiries, hearings and final decisions, according to NADRA.
These measures, approved by the NADRA Authority Board, are designed to strengthen security and accuracy of the national identity system and have been published in the Gazette of Pakistan.
“The reforms include updated procedures for verification and cancelation of identity documents, amendments to the National Identity Card (NIC) framework, a revised regulatory structure for the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) and a modern procurement regime for the organization,” the regulator said on Monday.
The announcement also follows the arrest of several Pakistani and foreign nationals with forged documents at airports in recent years. Pakistan’s government has also tightened immigration procedures for individuals suspected of exploiting their foreign visas.
The amendments to the National Identity Card regulations update key definitions, streamline service delivery mechanisms and introduce formal procedures for secure disposal of obsolete or undelivered cards, according to NADRA.
They also define a clear process for handling cases involving multiple computerized national identity cards (CNICs) and include rules governing the registration of orphanages and child protection institutions.
“NADRA has further issued updated Pakistan Origin Card regulations which clarify eligibility criteria for overseas Pakistanis and individuals of Pakistani origin,” it said.
“The framework outlines documentary requirements for verifying lineage and specifies the rights POC holders are entitled to during their stay in Pakistan.”
Pakistan has repatriated nearly one million Afghans so far this year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in late Nov.
The South Asian country, which has been facing a surge in militancy in recent years, said at the time that many Afghan nationals had been involved in attacks and other offenses. Human rights groups criticized the policy as collective punishment.
NADRA said it has also notified the NADRA Procurement Regulations 2025, which align the organization’s procurement practices with national transparency and accountability standards, requiring competitive and auditable procurement processes, particularly for sensitive and security-related acquisitions.
“The approval of these regulations marks a major step in modernizing the authority’s operational and legal foundations and reaffirms its commitment to secure and citizen-centered service delivery,” it added.
