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ISLAMABAD:
Despite registering 31.9 million births at the union council level by 2025, these records are yet to be uploaded to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), according to the authority’s latest performance report.
The report submitted to the Home Ministry recently notes that NADRA now has 227 million individuals on its central registry, covering nearly 97% of the country’s population. Of the registered population, 52% are men and 48% are women.
NADRA’s biometric repository is extensive, containing facial data for 170 million people, iris scans for seven million and over 1.68 billion fingerprints, highlighting the agency’s digital reach. In 2025 alone, the agency processed 445 million biometric verifications.
The report highlights significant increases in civil registration during the year. Total national registrations increased 4%, registrations of children under 18 increased 11%, renewals of expired ID cards increased 24%, and cancellations after death increased 900%. Women’s registrations also grew by 8%, reflecting progress towards gender inclusion.
At the end of the year, 938 registration centers were operational nationwide. NADRA opened 75 new centers and 138 new counters while adding 126 counters in existing offices.
Mobile registration services remained active through 231 vans, including 33 satellite-enabled units for remote locations. At the local UC level, 62 counters continued to function and six new overseas counters were established to serve Pakistanis abroad.
Digital services were also adopted significantly. The Pak Identity mobile app handled 15% of NADRA’s workload with over 12 million downloads, allowing citizens to access services without visiting physical centres.
The report also notes policy milestones in 2025. The federal government approved the National Registration and Biometric Policy Framework, introduced changes to ID card regulations, launched biometric registration certificates for children as young as three, and granted family registration certificates formal legal status.
While NADRA’s database now covers most of the population, the report acknowledges that there are still gaps, particularly in the registration of women and young children in some areas.
To reach remote and underserved regions, 231 mobile registration vans – including 33 satellite units – were deployed, supplemented by Minipacs and motorbike teams providing services at EU Council level, with 62 counters remaining active. Overseas Pakistanis also saw improved access to documentation through the establishment of six new counters in five different countries.
An important milestone in the authority’s digital shift was the performance of the Pak Identity mobile application, which handled 15 percent of NADRA’s total workload. The app, whose downloads crossed 12 million, enabled millions of citizens to complete their documentation processes from home without visiting a NADRA center.
