The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has issued two regulatory frameworks – Digital Identity Regulations 2025 and National Data Exchange Layer (NDEL) Regulations 2025 – to modernize Pakistan’s identification system and advance the government’s Digital Pakistan vision.
The framework has been developed with the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications and approved by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Under the Digital Identity Regulations, NADRA will build a national digital ID ecosystem that will enable citizens to verify their identities online through biometric and digital credentials. This will allow access to public and private services – including banking, tax, healthcare and education – without the need for physical documents.
The NDEL framework sets standards for secure data exchange between public authorities and authorized private entities, ensuring interoperability and data protection.
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Together, these rules form the basis of a digital system under the World Bank-supported Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), which aims to improve digital governance and delivery of public services across the federal, provincial and local levels.
DEEP was launched in May 2024 with a total outlay of $78 million and includes several components led by MoITT, NADRA and the Board of Investment (BOI). NADRA focuses on digital identity and secure data exchange, while BOI oversees regulatory reforms and the development of the Pakistan Business Portal for business registration and payments.
The Economic Coordination Committee recently approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs 477 million to DEEP’s second component, headed by BOI, to operationalize project accounts and ensure smooth distribution of funds among the implementing agencies.
