Pareesa Afreen 
Dec 31, 2025
The federal government and NADRA have amended the National Identity Card (NIC) Rules, officially recognising facial and iris scans as valid biometric identifiers alongside fingerprints.
The change, effective Wednesday, paves the way for a multi-biometric verification system in Pakistan, following recommendations from NADRA.
To date, Nadra uses contactless fingerprint and facial recognition technology for online passport applications and vehicle transfers in Islamabad. Plans are underway to issue proof-of-life certificates for federal pensioners using the same technology.
Starting from January 20, 2026, a fallback route will be provided for individuals whose fingerprints fail the verification test. Eligible individuals will visit a Nadra Registration Centre. A new photograph will then be compared with the past records there.
Reportedly, Nadra will provide a certificate attesting that the contents of the said certificate are true. This certificate is renewable for seven days only and only costs Rs20. This certificate can be checked online by the issuing organisation.
This way the authority is addressing the issues that people with faded fingerprint impressions experience, owing to age or health issues, and the concerns of the service points using inefficient fingerprint scanners.
Notably, the instructions were issued by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), but impediments were still created. These steps are now declared mandatory by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Institutions will have to upgrade themselves by implementing the facial recognition certificates issued by Nadra through their software and installing the cameras at the service counters or at the machines. Otherwise, as warned by Nadra, direct facial recognition will not be feasible at the service counters.
Moreover, the system will be expanded to e-Sahulat franchises, and once the official launch of the ‘Digital ID’ is initiated, citizens will be able to make use of verification services via the Pak-ID app.
