The Senate Standing Committee on Interior passed on Thursday a government bill giving the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to provisionally impound computerised national identity cards (CNICs) of individuals, including criminals and suspected illegal aliens, for up to two months.
The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was approved following an in-depth briefing by officials, who shared that proposed changes seek to align NADRA’s legal framework with evolving requirements of national security, Dawn reported.
“CNIC is a critical national security instrument”, and its “misuse threatens Pakistan’s internal security, destabilises the economy, and undermines the country’s international standing,” said the statement of Objects and Reasons. It stated that NADRA faces constraints in blocking CNICs because of pending verification process in the absence of explicit statutory cover, which limited its ability to act swiftly.
It further stated that the authority also encountered difficulties in blocking CNICs of individuals involved in criminal activity who evaded proceedings despite being given an opportunity to be heard.
