NADRA Rolls out Iris biometric verification,
12 NADRA centers in Lahore region, 2 each in Karachi, Islamabad, Sargodha, 6 Multan, 4 KP,
Islamabad_On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Interior Ministry has issued a formal notification in this regard. The facility of getting passports made will be available at 12 NADRA centers in the Lahore region, two each in Karachi, Islamabad and Sargodha, six Multan, and four in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A separate counter will be available at the NADRA center for getting a passport made. The decision to offer such a facility was taken at a meeting headed by the prime minister. The prime minister had directed NADRA to make passports in the tehsils or sub-tehsils where a passport office did not exist.
Earlier,
In a significant development to strengthen biometric verification system, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) deploys Iris Recognition System at NADRA centres for identity verification and citizen deduplication. NADRA started off with fingerprint matching as the first biometric deduplication modality over a decade ago which was subsequently strengthened with facial images matching capability. The Iris technology will now complement NADRA’s existing biometric verification system.
The Iris recognition system, which was piloted with great success at NADRA Headquarters, has now been rolled out in NADRA Mega Centres at Blue Area Islamabad, PECO Road Lahore and DHA Karachi. The phased deployment of the technology will continue across all 700 NRCs nationwide.
This automated biometric identification modality registers distinctive patterns within a ring-shaped region surrounding the pupil of each eye for identification. The Iris Recognition is an extremely reliable and accurate identification method with negligible false match rates adding third biometric modality to its biometric verification system.
While unveiling the much-awaited initiative, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik said that the deployment of premium identity authentication by NADRA leverages state-of-the-art recognition technology, offering precision with enhanced security and efficiency in the identity verification of citizens. The introduction of the Iris Recognition system marks a significant leap forward in securing citizens’ identities, where the window to their soul becomes the fortress of their digital existence, he said.
NADRA’s landmark achievement will usher in a new era in Pakistan where an individual’s identity credentials can be captured through the most precise, secure and hygienic option of IRIS biometrics.
Mr. Malik further noted that since no two irises are the same, such modality of verification is not susceptible to identity duplication and theft. He added: “Whether it’s government services, financial institutions, or any other industry that deals with sensitive information, identity verification is a critical aspect of ensuring the integrity and security of our systems. With the IRIS biometric technology, we are taking a major step forward in streamlining and fortifying the processes of secure identification.”
It is pertinent to mention that NADRA has been using fingerprints and facial matching for deduplication with reliable accuracy. Iris will not only further strengthen its unique identity issuance system but it will also include biometric identification of children as well. Since Iris scanning is done through a special infrared camera to read and digitize iris patterns, it is near impossible to fake or imitate iris identity. A mathematical algorithm is used to convert these complex patterns into templates for matching. A combined facial, iris and fingerprint matching will compliment each other for immutable identity provision and more accurate verification by NADRA.
