ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has shut down its CNIC services at post offices across Pakistan after the initiative failed to attract enough users.
Three years ago, the government partnered with Pakistan Post to offer NADRA services, such as CNIC renewals, address changes, and marital status updates, at General Post Offices (GPOs). The goal was to make these services more accessible and reduce crowding at NADRA centers.
However, the program struggled due to poor public awareness. Many people simply didn’t know they could get these services at post offices. “Most citizens had no idea these facilities were available here,” a NADRA official said.
Now, all 83 NADRA counters at post offices nationwide, including 10 in Karachi, are being closed. Staff have been instructed to return the equipment and settle pending payments. Applicants with ready-to-collect CNICs will still receive them before the counters fully close.
NADRA plans to move the unused equipment to union councils in the next fiscal year, hoping to improve service access at the local level.
A spokesperson explained further about the CNIC services at post offices, “Since very few people used these counters, we’ve decided to shift resources to union councils for better public convenience.”
NADRA has discontinued its identity card services at post offices across Pakistan after the three-year initiative saw minimal public usage. Among the NADRA services provided were CNIC renewals and updates, yet the limited awareness resulted in low participation.
The authorities will reallocate resources to support union councils in order to enhance service accessibility. Public outreach in service delivery requires immediate improvement because of this closure experience.
This closure demonstrates how well-intentioned government initiatives like CNIC services at post offices may fail when they lack effective outreach efforts to reach their target audience, thus leaving many people reliant on congested NADRA centers for essential services.
