Safer roads: NADRA, NHMP introduce e-driving licence

A new e-driving licence facility is in the works, according to National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and National Highways and Motorways police (NHMP) officials.

Nadra has developed an e-driving licence for the NHMP which would ensure security, authenticity and traceability, and also help the police facilitate licence applicants by reducing the turnaround time, according to a press release issued here on Wednesday.

Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik praised the NHMP for facilitating the public and ensuring that a driver licence is only given to people who go through the proper process and are qualified, thus ensuring road safety.

The Nadra chief said the proposed system would entail international standard Teslin licences. The system would also ensure the registration of applicants and provide information to NHMP enforcement officers to ensure security and easy identification of drivers.

Meanwhile, Inspector General (IG) of the Motorway Police Zafar Iqbal Lak said citizens will get additional benefits from the more advanced e-driving licences.

VIN database being prepared

Lak said the system will minimise manual data entry errors, increase staff productivity, reduce labour content of processing tasks and expedite decision making.

Under Nadra’s plan, the pilot site for the project shall be established in the capital, while more sites will be added across the country as the project grows.

The NHMP and Nadra chiefs also announced the collaborative implementation of Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) data registration system in order to curtail the use of vehicles for theft, terrorism, and other crimes.

The implementation of the VIN database would facilitate the Vehicle Tracking System, which in turn would be provided to all provincial and federal organisations using the vehicle identification database, on the same lines as the national database of citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2013.