NADRA Steps Back From Pak-ID Facial Verification for SIM Issuance

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has stepped back from providing its Pak-ID application-based facial verification facility for mobile SIM issuance, prompting the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and telecom operators to explore alternative arrangements for nationwide facial-recognition deployment.

According to a PTA document, NADRA had proposed in 2025 that its Pak-ID app be used for facial-recognition-based SIM verification. Following the proposal, cellular mobile operators completed a proof of concept for the system.

NADRA has now changed its position and expressed regret over making the Pak-ID facial verification facility available for SIM issuance.

Instead, the authority has proposed that cellular mobile operators deploy dedicated hardware at their own end to enable facial-verification-based services.

The proposed arrangement would also require operators to comply with NADRA’s newly enacted regulations governing requisite access to the National Data Warehouse, which were published on July 28, 2026.

“The implications of the same are under review at PTA and industry end,” the PTA document said.

PTA Reviewing Nationwide Facial Verification for SIM Sales

The development comes as the PTA examines ways to introduce facial-recognition technology at SIM issuance points across Pakistan.

The move is aimed at expanding biometric verification options beyond the existing mechanisms used for subscriber authentication and SIM registration.

However, NADRA’s decision not to provide Pak-ID-based facial verification means the PTA and telecom industry will now need to assess a different technical and operational model before any nationwide rollout can take place.

Under NADRA’s revised proposal, operators may have to invest in dedicated equipment and integrate their systems with the required identity-verification infrastructure while complying with the new data-access regulations.

The PTA and telecom industry are currently reviewing the regulatory, technical, and operational implications of the proposed framework.

Mobile App-Based Verification Also Under Evaluation

Separately, one cellular operator is exploring the possibility of offering biometric verification, including facial recognition, through its mobile application.

The proposal is intended to provide subscribers with another verification channel without relying exclusively on physical SIM issuance points.

Its technical feasibility is currently being evaluated.

If the proposal is found viable, the operator is expected to proceed with a proof of concept followed by further technical development.

The identity-verification process for SIM issuance remains a key regulatory concern in Pakistan, where authorities have repeatedly tightened biometric controls to curb the misuse of mobile connections.

For now, however, the nationwide rollout of facial-recognition-based SIM verification remains under review, with the PTA and telecom operators assessing alternatives after NADRA withdrew the proposed Pak-ID facility.

Also read:

NADRA Expands Pak ID App Services with Balochistan Vehicle Integration and KP Civil Registration