ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has introduced a new chip-free national identity card featuring a secure, Pakistan-developed QR code, marking a shift toward locally produced digital identity technology.
The new polycarbonate card has been manufactured in Pakistan by the National Security Printing Company (NSPC), Karachi, according to NADRA. The QR-based system replaces the imported microchip previously used in smart identity cards, reducing reliance on foreign-sourced chip technology.
The federal government approved the introduction of the new card on February 23, 2026. The QR code can be scanned and verified through the PakID mobile application, allowing authorised users to access relevant identity information through compatible smartphones.
The QR code contains the cardholder’s relevant identification details and photograph. According to the information provided by NADRA, this system is intended to make identity verification easier and more consistent for institutions and reduce errors during manual data entry.
The new card includes the family number as well as designated symbols for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, organ donors and citizens of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The cardholder’s name and address are printed in both Urdu and English. The card also incorporates visible and concealed security features designed according to current security requirements and local manufacturing capabilities.
Pakistan introduced chip-based smart national identity cards around 14 years ago. However, the limited availability of compatible chip readers and supporting infrastructure meant that some chip-based services could not be used as extensively as originally intended.
The QR-based card is designed to address this limitation by allowing verification through smartphones and suitable camera-enabled software.
Authorised institutions, including telecom operators, banks, hospitals, Pakistan Railways and police departments, will also be provided with software capable of reading and verifying the QR code.
The new cards are being introduced in phases. From August 14, 2026, the QR-based polycarbonate card will initially replace the chip-free Teslin-material national identity cards issued under the current process.
From January 2027, the new card will be introduced for all categories of national identity documents, including National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and Juvenile Cards. Pakistan Origin Cards (POCs) will be shifted to the chip-free QR-based format at a later stage.
Existing identity cards will remain valid until their stated expiry dates and will not be cancelled immediately.
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