Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Directs NADRA to Purge Illegal Citizenships in High Level Briefing
By Sardar Burhan :
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conducted a high-stakes visit to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) headquarters on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, where he ordered an immediate crackdown on fraudulent identity documents. Presiding over a comprehensive review session, the Minister mandated the identification and removal of all individuals who have illegally obtained Pakistani citizenship from the national database.
National Security and Repatriation
During the briefing, Chairman NADRA Lt. Gen. Muhammad Munir Afzal updated the Minister on the authority’s strategic initiatives and its role in national security. Minister Naqvi directed NADRA to provide full technical and logistical assistance to law enforcement agencies specifically for the ongoing repatriation of illegal foreigners. He emphasized that maintaining the integrity of the national database is a “test case” for the authority’s credibility.
The Minister also reviewed the progress of administrative reforms, noting that while services have improved over the last two years, further modernization is required. To reduce operational costs, Naqvi issued a directive for the construction of state-of-the-art NADRA offices on the authority’s own land in major cities, moving away from the current reliance on rented buildings. He called for a detailed master plan to be submitted regarding this infrastructure shift.
Digital Cleanup and Biometric Integration
NADRA officials informed the Minister that hundreds of thousands of identity cards belonging to deceased individuals have already been canceled. In a coordinated effort with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), mobile SIMs registered under the names of the deceased are currently being blocked to prevent criminal exploitation. The authority has also implemented a strict 30-day timeframe for the resolution of all pending ID card discrepancies.
A significant portion of the briefing focused on advanced verification technologies. Officials highlighted that while the authority is prepared to expand facial recognition for biometric verification, successful implementation requires deeper integration with other federal departments. Director General FIA Dr. Usman Anwar and other senior officials present at the meeting pledged ministerial-level cooperation to ensure these security layers are fully operational by the end of the fiscal year.
The visit underscores the government’s broader strategy to tighten border controls and domestic surveillance as regional tensions continue to impact national security. Minister Naqvi assured the authority of his full support in navigating these technical challenges, reiterating that public convenience must remain a priority alongside rigorous security protocols.
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