The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has begun issuing locally manufactured identity cards featuring secure QR codes instead of microchips, aiming to make identity verification easier and more accessible.
According to NADRA, the cards have been produced by the National Security Printing Company (NSPC) in Karachi according to the authority’s technical and security requirements.
The QR code will contain the cardholder’s personal information and photograph and can be scanned using a smartphone through NADRA’s Pak Identity (PakID) mobile application. The system is expected to help institutions verify citizens’ details while reducing errors during data entry.
The new cards will also include the holder’s family number and symbols identifying persons with disabilities, senior citizens, organ donors and citizens of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Names and addresses will be printed in both Urdu and English.
NADRA said the QR-based system would address limitations faced by the chip-based Smart NIC, introduced around 14 years ago, as compatible chip readers and supporting infrastructure were not widely available.
Banks, telecom operators, hospitals, Pakistan Railways, police and other authorised institutions will be provided with software to scan and verify the QR codes.
The rollout will take place in phases, with the QR-based card replacing the standard CNIC from Friday. From January 2027, the system will extend to all categories, including NICOPs and Juvenile Cards, while the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) will transition to the chipless format in the final phase.
NADRA clarified that existing identity cards will remain valid until their expiry dates.
