ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has officially discontinued its identity card-related services at General Post Offices (GPOs) across Pakistan, citing low public utilization and a lack of widespread awareness, according to a report by Express News.
The closure marks an early termination of a government-backed initiative launched three years ago to decentralize and simplify access to key NADRA services, including CNIC renewals, address updates, and marital status changes. Under a 10-year agreement with Pakistan Post, dedicated counters had been set up at GPOs in major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
Despite offering vital services and successfully reducing congestion at NADRA’s main service centers, the initiative failed to gain significant traction. Officials attributed the program’s limited reach to inadequate public awareness, noting that planned promotional campaigns never materialized on a meaningful scale.
As part of the wind-down, NADRA has directed all GPO-based staff to return equipment and submit collected service fees. Applicants with ready-for-delivery CNICs are being prioritized to receive their documents before the final closure of counters. Approximately 83 counters across all four provinces and Azad Kashmir have been affected.
In Karachi alone, 10 major post offices, including the II Chundrigar Road and Saddar GPOs, have ceased offering these services. “Most citizens were simply unaware that such services were available at post offices,” a NADRA official commented.
Looking ahead, NADRA plans to transfer the equipment and resources from the dismantled counters to local union councils in the upcoming fiscal year. The move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen decentralized service delivery at the community level.
A NADRA spokesperson confirmed the development, stating, “Due to the extremely low number of applicants at post office counters, the facilities have been shut down. The equipment will be transferred to union councils in the upcoming fiscal year to enhance service accessibility.”
The abrupt end to the initiative highlights the critical role of public communication in the success of service delivery programs, particularly those designed to ease bureaucratic burdens and extend access to essential services.
