Government To Provide New PoR Smart Cards To Afghan Refugees

Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued the first new biometric identity smart cards to Afghan refugees registered in the country

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th May, 2021 ) :Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued the first new biometric identity smart cards to Afghan refugees registered in the country.

The new Proof of Registration (PoR) cards are legally recognized proof of identity and include enhanced security features, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.

The issuance of card is part of the government-led and UNHCR-supported Documentation Renewal and Information Verification Exercise (DRIVE).

This exercise is currently verifying the information of 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan and will issue them with new PoR smart cards based on the same technology used for Pakistani citizen identification cards.

Refugees who completed their drive verification interviews will receive SMS notifications, advising them about the collection of PoR cards.

"The drive exercise is a collaborated effort of the government/Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) and UNHCR, with the technical assistance of NADRA," said Saleem Khan, the Chief Commissioner for Afghan Refugees in Pakistan.

UNHCR Representative in Pakistan, Noriko Yoshida, appreciated the government's efforts for taking this important exercise forward, seeing it as an important opportunity to strengthen the protection of refugees and better understand existing needs in the refugee community.

"DRIVE will provide updated information about registered Afghan refugees and their immediate family members in Pakistan. This will allow us to better plan and deliver our support to the Government of Pakistan and refugees, as well as the communities hosting them", the UNHCR representative said.

The designated NADRA spokesperson said that the new PoR smart cards were being issued as part of this exercise were multi-biometric, offering new possibilities for identity verification, including in the banking sector.

DRIVE is also part of a wider effort to assist displaced Afghans through the Support Platform for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR). The exercise will help collect data on the educational and professional backgrounds of refugees. This information will enhance support for those who may in the future return voluntarily to Afghanistan.

The exercise is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Measures are in place at all DRIVE sites to mitigate COVID-19 risks through enhanced hygiene, physical distancing, and the scheduling of set numbers of appointments each day.