ISLAMABAD – The Ministry of Interior decided to immediately block all mobile SIMs issued on expired national identity cards across the country, the sources close to the development said on Friday.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi made the announcement during a visit to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) headquarters, where he chaired a high-level meeting and laid the foundation stone for a 10-storey NADRA mega center in Sector I-8, expected to be completed by June 2026.
In the meeting, it was decided that all SIMs issued on expired CNICs would be blocked immediately. In the first phase, SIMs registered on CNICs that expired in 2017 or earlier will be deactivated. In subsequent phases, the policy will be extended to include deactivated CNICs issued after 2017, ensuring that only active CNICs are used to hold SIMs.
NADRA Chairman Lt. Gen. Muhammad Munir Afsar stated that, in collaboration with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), SIMs registered under the names of deceased individuals or those holding expired CNICs are being blocked.
He highlighted that various government departments and service providers are storing citizens’ biometric data in local databases, making the sensitive information vulnerable to misuse and theft. He recommended using NADRA’s secure and verified database to implement facial recognition technology, particularly to assist citizens who face issues with fingerprint verification.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the Ministry would issue directives to all relevant departments to discontinue separate storage of biometric data.
He instructed that the implementation of facial recognition technology across the country must be completed by December 31, 2025, under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior.
Naqvi also said NADRA services have now been expanded to 44 additional tehsils and specific union councils where such services were previously unavailable.
He added that by June 30, 2025, NADRA services will be available in all 31 union councils of Islamabad.
