NADRA expands iris scan facility

Scan now available for children at 5,000-plus counters to counter identity theft

KARACHI:

In a key safeguard against identity theft, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has expanded biometric identification to minors using iris scans, making the facility available at more than 5,000 counters nationwide.

The ongoing drive is particularly focused on children under the age of 18, whose identification is being strengthened through photographs and biometric features.

According to the database authority, the iris-based identification will help protect children from identity theft and misuse, while also providing an alternative for elderly people, manual workers and others whose fingerprints cannot be captured because of illness or skin conditions.

Speaking to Express News on Sunday, NADRA Director of Media Shabahat Ali said the rules governing Pakistan's national identity card system were codified in 2002, when the country's political, geographical and economic circumstances were markedly different.

The situation surrounding Pakistan, particularly the Afghan war, regional developments and the security challenges facing the country, had also evolved considerably since then.

For nearly 23 years, registration continued under those rules, but several shortcomings emerged over time.

NADRA brought those issues to the Ministry of Interior and sought its guidance, following which the ministry referred the matter to the prime minister and significant reforms were introduced to the country's identity system.

A major component of the reforms was the protection of the identities of citizens below the age of 18, who account for around 46% of Pakistan's population.

Shabahat Ali said identification without a photograph could leave children vulnerable to identity theft or misuse, including situations in which one person could use another child's identity for his or her own child.

The reforms have also broadened the definition of biometric identification. Previously, biometric verification was largely understood in terms of fingerprints, but facial features and the iris of the eye are now also recognised as important identification markers.

NADRA has informed financial institutions that where fingerprints cannot be obtained because of age, illness or any other reason, an individual can be verified through facial recognition. The iris is considered a unique biometric marker and can provide a highly effective means of identifying an individual.