ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday accorded final approval for launching of Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) re-verification drive across the country from July 1.
Chairing a meeting held here, he said side by side with multi-pronged exercise, the input by Joint Verification Committees would continue to identify aliens who have illegally acquired CNICs.
The multi-pronged strategy comprises data analysis schemes for verification including across the board fraud detection and mathematical modeling, utilization of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)’s data for identification of aliens, amnesty scheme, establishment of helpline and family tree intrusion detection through SMS.
The Minister said that National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) must give timeline for finalization of all cases involving blockage of CNICs so that people do not spend lifetime clearing their names.
Secretary Interior, National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), Chairman NADRA and other senior officials attended the meeting.
In a briefing, the Minister was informed that NADRA has established a helpline capable of handling 10,000 calls per day and a SMS gateway of 150,000 SMS per day to facilitate general public who would report suspected CNICs issued to aliens.
He was also informed that training for needed human resources has been completed to effectively realize re-verification drive.
Nisar had given six months deadline to NADRA for re-verification of CNICs, declaring it “an important milestone pertaining to national security.”
The Minister directed that NADRA should ensure utilization of all its resources to achieve desired objective of removing aliens from NADRA’s data base within given timeline.
The meeting also approved media strategy of NADRA for masses awareness.
Chaudhry Nisar said CNIC re-verification awareness campaign should also be launched in local ethnic languages and added it would help NADRA to create awareness over importance of this national security campaign among various communities with different languages and backgrounds.
