Nadra launches locally made QR code-based identity cards

Islamabad, National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) announced the launch of a new domestically manufactured National Identity Card (NIC) featuring a secure QR code instead of the previously used microchip. The cards, produced by the National Security Printing Company (NSPC) in Karachi, will contain the cardholder's information and photograph along with additional details such as family number and symbols for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, organ donors, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir citizens.

The QR code on the card will be scannable via Nadra's Pak Identity mobile application, allowing institutions to input identity details more accurately and consistently. Telecom operators, banks, hospitals, Pakistan Railways, police, and other authorized institutions will also receive software to read and verify the QR code. The chip-based Smart NIC, introduced roughly a decade ago, has been replaced due to the unavailability of chip readers and supporting infrastructure.

The rollout will be carried out gradually, with the QR code-based cards replacing the current CNIC starting from Friday, January 2027. All previously issued identity cards will remain valid until their expiry dates. The amendments to the National Identity Card Rules and Pakistan Origin Card Rules in February authorized the replacement of the microchip with QR codes or any other technological features as verification methods.