FREE NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002219 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL SUBJECT: FREE NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS ¶1. (U) On June 23, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) announced that it would begin to issue free Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) to Pakistani citizens. Currently, only approximately 60% of citizens have received CNICs. Because the CNICs had to be purchased, the poor and women in rural tribal areas are most likely not to have the cards. NADRA has promised to increase use of its mobile registration service to reach these under-represented communities. NADRA, a for-profit entity, plans to recoup costs by raising fees for issuing second cards or replacement cards for those lost. ¶2. (U) The CINC is required to obtain a driver's license or passport and to vote. The decision to issue free cards, therefore, is a welcome step. Post lobbied the GOP extensively last year to convince NADRA to take this step, and virtually all of the domestic and international organizations that monitored the Februry 2007 elections recommended the issuance of free CNICs to expand the voter franchise. Expanding the number of CNIC holders will also allow the Election Commission (with USAID-funded help from IFES) to clean up the voter list. PATTERSON