The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has passed a government bill that would allow National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to provisionally impound computerized national identity cards (CNICs) of suspected individuals and aliens for up to two months.

The proposed amendments aim to align Nadra’s legal framework with evolving national security requirements, according to officials who presented the bill to the committee. The misuse of CNIC threatens Pakistan’s internal security, destabilizes the economy, and undermines the country’s international standing.

Nadra faces constraints as provisional impounding of CNICs, pending verification reports, is hindered by a lack of explicit statutory cover, limiting swift action. This hampers the authority’s ability to block CNICs of individuals engaged in criminal offences who evade legal proceedings despite being given an opportunity to be heard.

The amendment was meant to address operational challenges faced by Nadra, including difficulties in blocking CNICs of individuals willfully evading legal proceedings or law enforcement directions. The primary goal is to prevent absconders and offenders from utilizing a valid CNIC to access essential services while evading justice.

Blocking these CNICs would enable the authorities to take swift action against suspects, thereby ensuring national security and preventing further threats to the country’s stability. Implementation of this bill will now depend on the approval of the National Assembly.