ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced an extensive package of facilities for senior citizens across Pakistan, marking the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons.
NADRA, the official body mandated to issue computerized national identity cards (CNICs) and other essential identification documents to citizens at home and abroad, stated that these initiatives are aimed at ensuring greater ease, accessibility, and dignity for elderly citizens.
Under the new arrangements, senior citizens visiting NADRA service centers will be provided with wheelchairs for mobility support and given priority service. After receiving a token, they will no longer be required to stand in queues and will have their documentation processed on a preferential basis.
Previously, lifetime-validity CNICs were issued to citizens upon reaching 60 years of age. Under the revised policy, this facility has now been extended to citizens aged 55 and above, allowing them earlier access to lifetime identification.
For those unable to visit NADRA offices due to illness or disability, the authority has introduced a home-service facility, enabling its representatives to process identity documents directly at the residences of senior citizens.
Additionally, elderly individuals or their family members can now utilize the Pak-ID mobile application to conveniently apply for replacement CNICs, make modifications or renewals, and obtain Family Registration Certificates (FRCs) from home, thereby avoiding unnecessary visits to NADRA centers.
To further simplify the process, NADRA has incorporated a face-recognition verification system, ensuring that applicants who face challenges with fingerprint authentication due to age can still complete their identification procedures seamlessly using facial recognition technology.
In a significant upcoming development, NADRA also announced that elderly pensioners will soon be able to digitally submit their “Proof of Life” through the Pak-ID mobile app. This new service is expected to bring major relief to pensioners by eliminating the burden of physical verification for pension disbursement.
