In a surprising move, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has pulled the plug on its identity card services at General Post Offices (GPOs) across Pakistan, bringing an abrupt end to a three-year experiment aimed at enhancing public convenience. The decision, reported by Express News on April 9, 2025, stems from dismal public response and insufficient awareness, despite the initiative’s ambitious goals.
Launched in 2022 as a joint venture with Pakistan Post, the program sought to streamline access to essential services like Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) renewals, address changes, and marital status updates. Dedicated counters were established at 83 GPOs nationwide, including high-traffic locations like Karachi’s Saddar and II Chundrigar Road post offices. The collaboration, initially backed by a 10-year agreement, was intended to decongest NADRA’s overburdened centers by offering an alternative service point for citizens.
However, NADRA officials revealed that the counters saw “extremely low” applicant numbers, prompting the agency to order their immediate closure. Staff have been instructed to return equipment, deposit fees, and distribute completed CNICs to applicants before dismantling operations entirely. A NADRA spokesperson explained, “The lack of public turnout made the initiative unsustainable. We’re now redirecting resources to union councils starting next fiscal year to better serve communities.”
The shutdown has sparked mixed reactions. While the counters had alleviated some pressure on NADRA’s main offices, their failure to attract users has been blamed on poor outreach. “People simply didn’t know these services existed,” an official admitted, noting that planned awareness campaigns on social media and other platforms never gained momentum.
With the equipment set to be redeployed to local union councils, NADRA hopes to salvage the initiative’s intent of decentralized access. For now, the closure marks the end of a promising yet underutilized chapter in Pakistan’s public service landscape.
