The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has taken a major step toward self-reliance and accessible digital identity with the launch of a new chipless National Identity Card powered by a secure QR code.

The newly designed polycarbonate card was locally produced in Pakistan by National Security Printing Company (NSPC), Karachi according to NADRA’s technical and security criteria.

It has now replaced the imported microchip with a secure QR code, eliminating the need for foreign chip providers and simplifying the procedure of safe digital verification.

The federal government on 23 February 2026 officially approved the issuance of the new identity card.

The card contains a secure QR code that can be read and validated immediately on smartphones using the PakIdentity (PakID) mobile app instead of an implanted microchip.

The embedded QR code provides the cardholder’s basic identifying details and portrait, enabling institutions to feed biographical data into their computerised systems with minimum human input errors.

In addition to the standard family number, the new card will have unique symbols and indicators for individuals with impairments, older citizens, organ donors and residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The cardholder’s name and address are printed in both Urdu and English languages to ensure the readability of two languages during official activities.

The card’s visual and hidden security measures have been modernised to meet contemporary security needs and local manufacturing capabilities.

NADRA had introduced the chip-based Smart National Identity Card over 14 years ago but the infrastructure and hardware chip scanners were not available for wide scale use.

The QR code-based card overcomes these operational hurdles, allowing verification using ordinary smartphones or conventional software with camera capabilities.

Organisations authorised to do so, such as telecom carriers, banks, hospitals, Pakistan Railroads and law enforcement agencies, will be given special verification software that will allow them to scan and validate the cards instantaneously.

Read also: NADRA introduces self-service kiosks for public convenience

The new identity cards will be introduced in phases across the country.

The new polycarbonate card with the secure QR code will start to replace the present standard chipless Teslin material national identity cards being issued from August 14, 2026, which will be the first phase.

The QR code architecture will be extended to other sorts of identity cards including the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and Juvenile Cards from January 2027.

In the last phase of the transformation, the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) will also be converted to the new chipless QR code platform.

NADRA said that all the previously issued identity cards will stay valid till the marked expiry date.

Pakistan is emerging as a “hinge power” in global politics by leveraging its relations with the United States, China, Gulf states and Iran, according to a report by British newspaper Financial Times.

According to the report, Pakistan demonstrated its growing diplomatic importance by hosting direct talks between Washington and Tehran, signalling Islamabad’s desire to play a more active role in the changing global order.

The Financial Times said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkey reflects Pakistan’s growing importance in regional security. It noted that one of Pakistan’s key strategic strengths is its ability to maintain interest-based partnerships with both Washington and Beijing.

The report said Pakistan also has the unique ability to maintain relations with both the Gulf states and Iran, allowing it to act as an intermediary between different centres of power without being tied exclusively to a single global bloc.

According to the newspaper, Pakistan’s new economic diplomacy includes trade opportunities with the United States in the crypto and critical minerals sectors. Meanwhile, plans to connect Central Asia with Pakistani ports could open access to new markets and strengthen regional trade.

The Financial Times said Saudi backing could become an important pillar of confidence for international investors in Pakistan as Islamabad seeks to expand beyond its immediate neighbourhood and pursue a broader global role.

The report added that Pakistan’s foreign policy is creating strategic space for the country in the United States, China, the Middle East and Central Asia. Islamabad’s increasing diplomatic activity is consequently positioning Pakistan as an important link between major global powers.

According to the Financial Times, Pakistan’s strategic significance in the emerging global order has grown to such an extent that it deserves a separate place on the global “Risk board,” referring to the country’s increasing role as a pivotal power in international geopolitics.

Minister for Railroads Muhammad Hanif Abbasi Saturday said that Main Line-1 (ML-1) project was the basis for development and modernisation of the Pakistan Railroads. He expressed satisfaction over the progress made on the flagship project.

In a statement the minister said, upgradation of ML-1 would boost the train speeds, improve passenger facilities and enhance the general performance of Pakistan Railroads.

He said merit, transparency and competitiveness will be enforced at all stages of the project, adding that the finest suggestions and expert comments would be adopted to make the initiative more effective.

Hanif Abbasi stated that Prime Minister(PM),Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was taking deep interest in the ML-1 project and had directed for its completion within the stipulated time-frame.
The prime minister was also constantly watching the progress of the initiative, he added.

Earlier a crucial meeting on ML-1 project was held at Pakistan Railroads Headquarters under the supervision of Chairman Pakistan Railroads Syed Mazhar Ali Shah. The meeting was attended by international design and review specialists and top railway authorities.

Meeting discussed major concerns related to upgradation of Karachi-Rohri segment and directed to finish review phase of ML-1 by 30th October 2026.

The participants were also asked to do regular monitoring and have weekly evaluations of the development of the project.

The second round of market consultation for the ML-1 project will be launched on September 8, 2026 when detailed discussions would be held on project preparation and future course of action.

It was further revealed that recommendations, expertise and experience acquired thru the market consultation would be helpful for Pakistan Railroads to further improve the ML-1 project.

The minister underlined his optimism about the possibility of launching the flag-ship ML-1 project this year, stating that the work accomplished so far was positive.