According to data revealed by the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA), a non-profit organisation, over two million women are without identity documents in Pakistan.
According to the available data, around 2.6 million women in Pakistan’s north western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa do not possess the National Identity Card (NIC). The report said that the ability of the women to play their part in political, social and economic progress was restricted and they were not able to benefit from public social safety, education and health services.
People who are without a National Identity Card are unable to vote, become members of political parties, and benefit from government welfare schemes and services. Hence, 2.6 million women currently do not possess the privilege of participating in public life and taking advantage of measures intended for social uplift.
The data by TDEA has revealed that out of the 2.6 million disenfranchised women, around 100,000 are from Swabi. Moreover, these women do not have their votes registered as they don’t have an NIC.
Sources informed media that the National Identity Card is issued to citizens of Pakistan and the issuance is carried out through state-of-the-art technology and well-defined business rules that guarantee its authenticity and validity.
Sources said that anyone who is 18 years and above is eligible for an NIC and the card is mandatory for obtaining documents such as license, National Tax Number, bank account, passport, and a SIM card etc.
They added that anyone can apply for an NIC by visiting their nearest NADRA Registration Centre and that the facility can also be availed through the NADRA mobile van service.
A source apprised media that NADRA had been active in KP to aid eligible citizens, particularly women, to obtain their NIC. He added that at the Union Council level, NADRA had established 669 new Civil Registration and Management System (CRMS) sites, with the total number of sites being 7893 sites, for the computerization of birth, death, marriage and divorce records.