NADRA facilities now available at post offices

No-wait queues and NIC renewal services now available at select post offices

KARACHI:

Fed up with long queues at NADRA service centres?

Here's some good news for you: Various facilities, including no-wait queues and National Identity Card (NIC) renewals, are now available at select post offices, including General Post Offices (GPOs) in Karachi.

Surprisingly, many citizens are unaware of these NADRA services at the post offices, but please note that Child Registration Certificate (CRC), or Form-B, and Family Registration Certificate (FRC) facilities are not available there.

At 10 post offices in the city, including Saddar and II Chandragar Road, single and double counters are operational to provide NIC-related services. These counters are seamlessly integrated into the NADRA system. Services such as NIC renewal and changes to marital status can be availed at these post office counters. Lost NIC replacements are also provided here, along with assistance in updating home addresses, signatures, and photographs.

Interestingly, there has been limited utilisation of these NADRA facilities at the Saddar GPO. The primary reason appears to be a lack of awareness among citizens. GPO representatives have indicated that they will soon initiate a public awareness campaign to inform citizens about these services.

Surprisingly, in recent years, only 11 citizens applied for NICs at the Saddar GPO, while long queues are a common sight at the NADRA mega centres in the city, as per post office officials.

In response to this, NADRA authorities have stated that they periodically create awareness and are starting a social media campaign to ensure that this information reaches the general public.

NICs can be renewed at the post office for up to one year after expiry. However, biometric facilities for blood relations are not available there, and NIC forms must be renewed by a Grade 16 officer. Additionally, PRC and Form B facilities are also not available at the post offices.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2023.