ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday announced plans to establish National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) offices in all tehsils across Pakistan by March 31, 2025, in a move aimed at improving access to essential services for citizens in remote areas.
During his address, the minister revealed that three new regional centers would also be established in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gwadar, and Gilgit-Baltistan. He emphasized that these offices would enhance the efficiency and reach of NADRA services in underserved regions.
Additionally, Naqvi announced the launch of a NADRA mobile application that will enable citizens to access services such as ID cards, Family Registration Certificates (FRC), Pakistan Origin Cards (POC), and B-forms directly from their phones.
The announcement builds on earlier commitments made by the minister. On December 26, 2024, Naqvi had pledged to set up passport counters at NADRA offices across multiple cities to streamline the process of obtaining passports and ID cards. These counters, he said, would operate 24/7 to provide round-the-clock assistance.
While speaking at the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Immigration and Passport Office in Islamabad, Naqvi also unveiled plans to extend 24-hour passport services in the capital and establish model passport centers in Lahore and other provincial capitals.
The decision to integrate passport services with NADRA offices has elicited mixed reactions from citizens. Some welcomed the initiative as a time-saving measure, while others expressed concerns about the additional pressure on already overcrowded NADRA offices, which frequently experience long queues and delays.
The move is part of broader efforts to enhance government services and bring them closer to the public. However, the challenge of managing the anticipated increase in footfall at NADRA centers remains a concern for officials and citizens alike.
