The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has launched an immediate crackdown on mobile SIMs registered using expired or fake CNICs. The decision was finalized during a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at NADRA Headquarters on Friday.
In the first phase, SIMs issued on CNICs that expired in 2017 or earlier will be blocked. Later phases will target SIMs linked to CNICs that were cancelled after 2017. Only valid and active CNICs will be allowed for new or continued SIM registrations. NADRA clarified that this move primarily targets SIMs still active in the names of deceased individuals or invalid ID holders.
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Minister Naqvi also directed institutions to halt the independent storage of biometric data and emphasized the national rollout of facial recognition technology by the end of 2025. He further announced the expansion of NADRA services to 44 more tehsils and previously underserved union councils.
A new 10-storey NADRA Mega Centre is also set to be built in Islamabad’s I-8 sector, with completion expected by June 2026. The initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance security, identity verification, and service delivery across Pakistan.
