Latest news with #NationalDatabaseandRegistrationAuthority
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Afghan card holders to be deported from Sept 1
Police officers, along with workers from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), check the identity cards of Afghan citizens during a door-to-door search and verification drive for undocumented Afghan nationals, in an Afghan Camp on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, November 21, 2023. Photo: Reuters Listen to article The interior ministry has initiated a process for the voluntary repatriation of Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, setting September 1 as the starting date for formal deportations, Radio Pakistan reported. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting on Tuesday held under the ongoing Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), citing security concerns and the increasing strain on national resources. A notification from the ministry confirmed that registered PoR card holders—whose documents expired on June 30, 2025—will officially be repatriated from next month. The home ministry had previously allowed PoR holders to remain in Pakistan until June 30 as part of an earlier extension, but since then over 1.3 million people have been returned home. Also Read: Govt invites opposition for dialogue on 26th Amendment More than 800,000 Afghans hold an Afghan Citizen Card in Pakistan, according to UN data. Another roughly 1.3 million are formally registered with the Pakistan government and hold a separate Proof of Residence card. In total, Pakistan hosted around 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland. Meanwhile, figures from UN agencies show roughly 1.3 million refugees remain, mostly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan launched the IFRP in November 2023, initially targeting undocumented immigrants and Afghan Citizen Card holders. Since then, about 1.3 million Afghans have been repatriated, but approximately 1.6 million remain in the country—many hoping for a policy change. Also Read: Dying Delta: Pakistan's Indus sinks and shrinks Afghan refugees have responded with alarm: many own assets or businesses built over decades and fear forced sales at minimal prices should extensions not be granted. Despite legal challenges, including a recent request rejected by the Islamabad High Court for a stay on repatriation of PoR holders, the government has maintained its stance. The court had affirmed the June 30 deadline as per policy. In an effort to ease the pressure, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry hinted at a forthcoming visa policy for foreign nationals, which would provide investment incentives—an opportunity Afghan residents may be eligible for should they choose to remain. International entities, including the UNHCR, IOM, and Amnesty International, have expressed serious concern over the scale and humanitarian impact of the expedited repatriation campaign. Critics warn that forced returns could violate the principle of non-refoulement, imperil vulnerable populations, and destabilise regional security.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
NADRA simplifies succession certificate process
Listen to article The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has streamlined the process for obtaining Succession Certificates, making it significantly easier for citizens to claim inheritance rights, accroding to the Associated Press of Pakistan. A new notification issued on Tuesday states that legal heirs can now submit applications for Succession Certificates at any of the 186 Succession Certificate Units (SFUs) established across Pakistan. These units are located at NADRA centres in Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan, irrespective of where the inherited property is located. National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has made it significantly easier for citizens to obtain Succession Certificates. According to a new notification issued by the Authority, legal heirs can now submit applications for succession certificates at any of 186… — APP (@appcsocialmedia) August 5, 2025 In a bid to enhance convenience, the biometric verification process has also been improved. Legal heirs can now complete the biometric process either at their nearest designated NADRA centre or remotely via the Pak ID Mobile App. Previously, applicants were required to file for succession certificates in the province where the inherited property was situated, which created challenges for heirs living in other provinces. While NADRA had earlier introduced mobile-based biometric verification, applications still had to be submitted in the province where the property was located. With the new initiative, NADRA has removed this restriction, allowing citizens to start and complete the process from anywhere in Pakistan. A NADRA spokesperson confirmed that official notifications have been sent to all NADRA centres with SFUs to ensure that citizens can access the service at their nearest location.
Mint
4 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Confirmed! Documents, biometric data reveal Pakistani nationality of slain Pahalgam terrorists after Op Mahadev
Pahalgam attack: Days after the three terrorists involved in the devastating Pahalgam attack were eliminated under Operation Mahadev, security agencies have gathered documents including biometric data, confirming that they were Pakistani nationals, officials said on Monday. As per the evidence collected, none of the slain terrorists were locals, confirmed officials, reported PTI. The documents collected by the security agencies which helped officials confirm the Pakistani nationality of the terrorists include: biometric records of Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), voter identity slips issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan digital satellite phone data, including logs and GPS waypoints Not just the voter slips and other documents, personal items were also discovered that offered more clues to their identities — including candy wrappers from 'CandyLand' and 'ChocoMax', both popular Pakistani brands made in Karachi. Officials also said that the post-encounter investigation, including ballistics weapon-to-cartridge match and statements of two detained Kashmiri helpers, further corroborated the terrorists' involvement in the Pahalgam attack. The slain terrorists were identified as Suleman Shah alias "Faizal Jatt", an A category terrorist, mastermind and lead shooter; his close associate Abu Hamza alias 'Afghan', an A-grade commander and the second gunman; and Yasir alias 'Jibran', also an A-grade commander and the third gunman. All the three slain terrorists had their addresses in Kasur distirct's Changa Manga and Koiyan village near Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The officials said the NADRA-linked Smart-ID chips – a micro-SD recovered from a damaged sat-phone contained the NADRA biometric records (fingerprints, facial template, family tree) of all three men — traced their addresses to those regions. While speaking at the Lok Sabha last week, Home Minister Amit Shah said that Operation Mahadev involved the questioning of around 1055 individuals within a span of over three hours. "Based on the inputs gathered, composite sketches were prepared. Subsequently, on June 22, two individuals — Bashir and Parvez — were identified as those who had harboured the terrorists,' said Shah.
Indian Express
31-07-2025
- Indian Express
Operation Mahadev: Recovered mobile phones, long-range communicationsets hold key to Pahalgam terrorists' Pakistan link
At least three mobile phones and two LoRa (long range) communication sets recovered from Pahalgam attackers killed in Operation Mahadev are learnt to have thrown up considerable data, including photos of two Pakistani NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) cards, sources in the security establishment told The Indian Express. The phones are currently being examined by the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) for retrieval of data. It is also examining the LoRa communication sets for any stamps of Pakistan. Among other things recovered by the security forces after Operation Mahadev are a GoPro harness, a 28-watt solar charger, three mobile chargers, one Swiss Military power bank, needle and threads, medicines, a stove, dry ration and a lot of tea. This is in addition to the arms and ammunition recovered from their bodies apart from two Aadhaar cards in the name of two local residents of Ganderbal and Srinagar. Sources said it is normal for Pakistan terrorists infiltrating India to procure Aadhaar cards as it helps them move around without being detected at police checkposts. The Aadhaar cards are typically procured through over ground workers or may belong to them. It is through the mobile phones and LoRa sets, however, that the security agencies aim to pin Pakistan down. Sources said the phones have a few documents and photos apart from details of local contacts, which are likely to lead to further arrests and unravelling of the logistical support the terrorists may have got over the past couple of years in the Valley. The recovery from the phones include NADRA card details of the terrorists. NADRA cards are computerised national identity cards issued by the National Database and Registration Authority, a Pakistan government agency. It's the primary identity document for Pakistani citizens, both within the country and overseas. The LoRa sets are expected to throw up data that may help the security agencies trace the movement of the terrorists over the past few months apart from the location where the devices were manufactured or assembled. LoRa sets refer to long-range radio communication technology. These devices are increasingly being used by terrorists and cross-border infiltrators, especially in border areas, as they can facilitate secure communication over long distances without relying on cellular networks or the Internet. Unlike satellite phones, which are vulnerable to interception, LoRa sets do not need to connect to a satellite. Indian intelligence and security agencies have in recent years intercepted or recovered LoRa sets from terrorists and infiltrators in J&K. These devices have been linked to Pakistan-based handlers coordinating movements or attacks. They are sometimes used in custom-built encrypted radios or even embedded in seemingly innocuous hardware. The terrorists who killed over 50 Army personnel in Poonch-Rajouri sector over the past couple of years have also been found to be using LoRa sets. While their messages cannot be intercepted, there is technology to determine their approximate location when they are switched on. However, the approximation can be in the range of a radius of 3-5 km, making it hard to detect the exact location in a thickly forested area, said sources.
India.com
26-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
No time, no money, no identity… :How 4.5 crore 'ghosts' are wandering in Pakistan
Ghost citizens- Representative AI image Ghost citizens of Pakistan: Pakistan is a funny country which gets appreciated from some countries for 'anti-terrorism' operations while actively promoting terrorism on its soil. In another amusing update, it has been reported that nearly 45 million of people in Pakistan who do not have official identity documents, are living as 'ghost citizens' in Pakistan. Who are the 'ghost citizens' of Pakistan? With no official identity documents, these Pakistani citizens are living without any resources, leaving them effectively invisible to the state. Readers should also note that most of the 'ghost citizens' are mostly from rural or underprivileged backgrounds where registering births is difficult due to high costs, lack of awareness, or bureaucratic hurdles, leading to more and more of such cases. How many 'ghost citizens' exist in Pakistan? Talking about the actual number, around 4.5 crore people in Pakistan lacked identity cards in 2021, making them 'ghost citizens' as per the National Database and Registration Authority. Although no updated figures have been released since, the number is huge. An example which explains the critical story of is the story of Ahmed Razah who is among those 4.5 crore people whom the Pakistani government does not recognize. Due to his identity-crisis, Ahmed Razah can neither study nor work in Pakistan. Raza's mother explains that Pakistan began issuing biometric ID cards in 2000. For Raza to get his own card, he needs documents from his mother or uncle—neither of whom possess valid ID themselves. Additionally, the cost of paperwork is around $165, which equals nearly one and a half months of Raza's income, making it unaffordable. Locals also report that bribes are often demanded during the registration process, but most people simply don't have the money to pay them.
