Senate panel clears bill empowering NADRA to impound CNICs

A Senate committee has approved a government-backed amendment bill that would allow the National Database and Registration Authority to provisionally impound computerized national identity cards for up to two months. The measure also covers CNICs held by individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants.

The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by the Senate Standing Committee on Interior after officials argued that the law needed to be updated to match evolving national security requirements. During the briefing, authorities described the CNIC as a key security instrument whose misuse could affect internal stability, economic activity and Pakistan's international image.

The approval signals support for giving Nadra stronger short-term powers in sensitive cases while authorities pursue verification or enforcement action. The move is part of a broader effort by the government to tighten identity management and strengthen legal mechanisms related to immigration and national security.

The proposal will now remain under legislative scrutiny as it moves through the wider parliamentary process, with implications for how identity documentation is regulated and temporarily restricted in high-risk cases.