Pakistan is set to introduce major reforms in its national identification system as the government moves to gradually replace fingerprint-based verification with modern facial recognition technology.
Officials say the shift is aimed at strengthening citizen identity security and reducing financial fraud, after multiple cases emerged in recent years involving fake or cloned fingerprints, particularly in SIM issuance and banking transactions.
The proposal was discussed on January 29, 2026, during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior, where lawmakers were briefed on the planned reforms.
Why the change is being made
For years, NADRA’s biometric fingerprint system has served as the backbone for identity verification across banks, telecom companies, and government institutions. However, authorities stated that criminal groups exploited weaknesses in the system by using artificial thumb impressions and forged fingerprints to bypass verification.
This raised serious concerns over public safety, identity theft, and unauthorized financial activity.
Fingerprint verification to be phased out
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry informed the committee that fingerprint-based verification is being discontinued due to serious security risks.
He said several fraud cases were reported where fake fingerprints were used for illegal financial activities, putting citizens’ identities and financial security at risk. He added that adopting facial recognition has become unavoidable.
Faster, more accurate, and transparent verification
Interior Ministry officials said the new facial recognition system will offer faster and more accurate verification, while improving transparency.
The system will be integrated into NADRA, as well as the verification platforms of banks and telecom operators, significantly reducing the chances of fake identities and unauthorized transactions.
Privacy concerns raised in committee
Committee members welcomed the move but stressed the need to protect citizens’ privacy and personal data.
Officials confirmed that a detailed legal and technical framework is being developed for facial recognition, and the technology will be rolled out in phases after approvals.
Experts call it a step towards global digital security standards
Experts believe the reform could align Pakistan with international digital security practices, as many countries already use facial recognition for identity verification to improve service delivery and control fraud.
