National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has disconnected identity card -related services at General Post Office (GPOS) nationwide, citing low public exploitation and lack of attention, Express News reported.

Originally launched three years ago as a government initiative, the collaboration between Nadra and Pakistan Post aimed to facilitate citizens with easier access to services such as CNIC renewal, addressing updates and marital status changes through dedicated counters at post office.

However, Nadra has now ordered the closure of all such counters, instructed staff to return equipment and pay collected fees. Clear CNICs must be transferred to applicants immediately before counters are fully settled.

A Nadra spokesman confirmed the decision and said, “Due to the extremely low number of applicants at the post office’s counters, the facilities have been closed. The equipment is transferred to trade union council in the coming financial year.”

Despite offering key services such as address updates, renewals and photo/signature changes, the initiative could not get public traction. Officials attributed the limited turnout to insufficient public attention.

The counters that were operational in major cities, including Karachi since February 2022, were part of a 10-year deal between Nadra and Pakistan Post. Only three years in the program has now ceased, which affects approx. 83 counters across all four provinces and Azad Kashmir.

In Karachi alone, counters created at 10 major post offices – including II Chundrigar Road and Saddar GPO – are shut down. These counters had helped ease pressure on Nadra centers by reducing cows.

Sources noted that although the service helped reduce overload at Nadra offices, many citizens were not aware of the availability of these facilities at post office. “Most people did not know that such services existed,” an official said.

The Nadra and the GPO authorities allegedly planned public attention campaigns through social media and other channels, but these efforts were never realized in scale.

The Nadra spokesman confirmed that the equipment from the now closed counters will be awarded to the local trade union councils to improve decentralized delivery of services.