National Database & Registration Authority (Pakistan)

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NADRA is one of the leading System Integrators in the global identification sector and boasts extensive experience in designing, implementing and operating solutions for corporate and public sector clients. NADRA offers its clients a portfolio of customizable solutions for identification, e-governance and secure documents. NADRA has successfully implemented the Multi-Biometric National Identity Card & Multi-Biometric e-Passport solutions for Pakistan, Passport Issuing System for Kenya, Bangladesh High Security Driver’s License, and Civil Registration Management System for Sudan amongst other projects.
The National Database & Registration Authority (Nadra) has started the revalidation process of arms licences issued by the Ministry of Interior.

Nadra Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik said that the process will provide transparency and authenticity of arms licence and proper data will be available with the Ministry of Interior. He said Nadra will process arms licences on behalf of Ministry of Interior; however the approval of each arms license application is the sole discretion of the ministry. Nadra will only process those applications which have the approval of the ministry.

He said original CNICs and original licences (along with photocopies) are pre-requisite for revalidation along with application form available at Nadra Centres and Ministry of Interior website. Nadra would verify the CNICs from its database to check the genuineness of an applicant while the applicant s credentials would also be checked by different law enforcement agencies. Card Renewal fee of Rs1100 for PB (Prohibited Bore) licence and Rs600 for NPB (Non Prohibited Bore) licence will be charged along with any payable in respect of Government license renewal fee dues. The original booklet will be retained by Nadra.

All original booklets will be forwarded by Nadra to the Ministry of Interior for post verification. He said that Nadra has designated 158 centres across the country where a separate counter in each designated centre has been established to receive the applications regarding the renewal of arms licences.

He shared the figures that 13 NADRA Registration Centres (NRCs) in Multan, 30 NRCs in Quetta, 14 NRCs in Lahore, 10 NRCs in Sargodha, 32 NRCs Peshawar, 24 NRCs in Islamabad, 11 NRCs in Hyderabad, 10 NRCs in Sukkur, 13 NRCs in Karachi and one centre at Sector G-10 Islamabad for Arms License Project Site will facilitate the applicants for the Arm Licences.

He said Govt. has extended deadline from August 31, 2011 to September 30, 2011, this deadline encompasses all Pakistan for renewal of arms licences specifically issued by the Ministry of Interior. However, this project does not cater for computerisation of manual Arms Licenses issued by the provincial governments. The above arrangements will facilitate all the arms license holders.

He said whole exercise of revalidation and issuance of arms licence would help government to check illegal weapons in the country while record of legal arms will be updated on district-wise which will be helpful for law enforcement agencies.
Business Recorder: Dated 24 August, 2011
National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Tuesday announced to start registration of arms license from Monday. According to NADRA spokesman, after approval of arm license application by the federal Ministry of Interior, NADRA has completed all administrative arrangements to accept application from August 29, 2011, for revalidation of arms license issued earlier by ministry of interior.
Application form will be processed through all nominated 158 NADRA's districts level registration centres across Pakistan.
The News: Dated 4 September, 2011
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Saturday vehemently denied its massive database of Pakistani citizens could be replicated or shared with any country or entity on the wish of an individual.

Reacting angrily to the media reports, attributed to the WikiLeaks, that Interior Minister Rehman Malik had offered to share all the Nadra citizens’ record with the United States in 2009, the authority’s Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik asserted that this could not be done on the wish of an individual.

“The NADRA security control mechanisms do not permit an individual, notwithstanding his authority or position, to compromise its theft or to give consent to share with data replication,” he made it clear, when The News approached him for his comment on the WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks said that welcoming US aid, the interior minister had offered to share the NADRA database of Pakistani citizens with it and proposed making public a model of the mutual agreement to ‘appease’ the people of Pakistan.

Tariq Malik pointed out that the database belonged to the people of Pakistan, who owned it, and hence it was a collective bearing agreement with the people. “We guard that privacy with passion and would not like anybody to even entertain that thought of sharing it,” he contended.

Referring to the media reports, he cautioned that such kind of revelations and statements could severely affect the international business that NADRA was undertaking and strengthen its competitors’ hands.

He noted that even India was in the process of preparing its own database, which NADRA had developed and it was a priceless national asset. However, the neighbouring country was nowhere near what the authority had already evolved and developed. It may be noted that NADRA has left behind the US-owned ‘Pisces’ system (international passenger holder system), having replaced it with a more robust integrated border management system powered by it.

To a question, Tariq Malik said NADRA occupied more space in the national interests instead of giving in to any demand of sharing database. He said NADRA had managed to restore the citizens’ trust on the state with its sheer hard work, dedication and commitment. In this connection, the NADRA deputy chairman referred to BISP programme, Watan cards and machine-readable passports and social security-related matters, which became possible only because of its database.

He said that Nadra had already applied the integrated border management system (IBMS) at the Islamabad International Airport and would shortly be doing so at Peshawar and Karachi airports.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik was not available for comment but sources close to him contended that Malik privately said NADRA itself had offered to share all the citizens’ record with the United States and denied making any offer by him to the US in this regard. But this could not be confirmed from him.