KARACHI – The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Thursday urged all registered Afghans to get their Proof of Registration (PoR) cards renewed before the deadline of February 28.
In a statement issued on Thursday, NADRA Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik stated that NADRA had started the process of replacing old PoR cards with new, more secure cards in September last year, which would end on February 28.
The registered Afghans, who have not yet renewed their PoR cards, should approach the nearest registration centre, so that UNHCR’s deadline could be met and their data updated. The PoR is an important document that proves the temporary legal stay of Afghans in Pakistan and is valid until December 31, 2012.
The registered Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan holding PoR cards and not repatriated, are eligible to receive the new cards. They must bring their existing cards to the registration centres. If the original card is broken or lost, its photocopy will be acceptable to find the data of the applicant in the database for renewal.
“NADRA is proud to help the UN high commissioner for Afghan refugees for developing the biometric refugee database. We would like to offer our expertise in multi-biometric citizen registration services anytime and anywhere in the world, where there is a refugee crisis,” the statement quoted Malik.
Since September, 1,365,000 new PoR cards have been issued through 45 centres across the country that includes 230,049 cards given to children previously registered on their parents’ cards and 96,608 unregistered members of registered families. In addition, 288,066 newborn babies were also registered.
As part of the same project, around 638,975 Afghan children under the age of 18 have received their first-ever birth certificates.
