ISLAMABAD: A total of 151 officials from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) have been dismissed for their involvement in issuing fake ID cards and violating policies.
Official documents reveal that over 500 NADRA staff members are currently under investigation. The 151 dismissals occurred over the past five years, with allegations ranging from the theft of citizens’ confidential data to processing Pakistani identification cards for foreigners.
NADRA authorities reported actions against 79 employees linked to the issuance of ID cards to Iranian citizens, with more than two dozen of those dismissed.
In the last five years, NADRA has hired over 8,500 new employees in response to ongoing challenges with fake identity cards. In August 2021, NADRA Chairman Tarik Malik noted 87 cases of officials issuing counterfeit IDs, resulting in the dismissal of 47 employees and the unblocking of 45 individuals’ computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), some of which were linked to corrupt practices.
Chairman Malik initiated inquiries into NADRA’s operations in December 2022 and March 2023, leading to a probe that uncovered unauthorized access to the data of Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir’s family by up to 10 employees. Six officials were subsequently found responsible.
In February of this year, NADRA announced a joint internal investigation with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which identified five individuals involved in the illegal processing of ID cards for non-nationals. This investigation led to the suspension and charging of eight officers, including three from senior management.
Furthermore, a joint investigation team (JIT) confirmed that personal information belonging to over 2.7 million Pakistanis was compromised from NADRA’s database between 2019 and 2024.
