To “strengthen the national identity system”, the federal government has decided to make fingerprints and photographs mandatory for the Child Registration Certificate (CRC) which is usually B- for children aged 10 years and above. known as form.
As directed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the ministry on Wednesday announced the introduction of a new B-Form equipped with the latest safety features.
The initiative aims to enhance identity verification and prevent crimes such as identity theft, human trafficking and illegal passport acquisition.
According to officials, the phased roll-out of these improved B forms will begin from January 15, 2025.
Commenting on the development, the Home Minister said: “These measures will prevent misuse of children’s identity information and strengthen our national identity system. I urge NADRA and the Passport Department to speed up implementation of these reforms.” I appreciate them for working.
In the first phase, children aged 10 to 18 years will have to visit NADRA centers, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, to provide their fingerprints and photographs.
The guardians must also produce their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) and computerized birth certificate of the child issued by the Union Council or Town Committee.
After the process is completed, NADRA will issue a new B-Form containing the photograph and biometric details of the child. The updated document will be a condition for obtaining a new passport for children of this age.
A spokesman for the home minister confirmed that the old B-form, which does not contain biometric details, will no longer be accepted for children above 10 years of age. Additionally, further improvements, such as integrating iris scan and enhancing services through the Pak-ID mobile app, are planned for future phases.
The move is part of a broader effort to integrate NADRA’s systems with provincial civil registration databases and ensure issuance of digital IDs to all Pakistani citizens.
“These measures will go a long way in securing the identity of our citizens and fighting crime effectively,” the spokesperson added.