Islamabad — The NADRA mobile app has come under scrutiny for a bizarre feature that appears to let deceased individuals cancel their own ID cards — after passing a facial recognition “liveness check.”
The app includes a service called “Cancel Identity Due to Death,” which provides two options: one for family members and another labeled “Myself.” If the latter is chosen, the app requires the applicant to undergo a liveness check, designed to prove that they are alive and match official biometric records.
Critics have pointed out the absurdity: how can a dead person log in, apply, and complete a liveness check?
When questioned, a NADRA spokesperson confirmed the service is meant for relatives only. However, the spokesperson did not clarify why the app presents a “Myself” option for the deceased or why biometric verification is required in that scenario.
The contradiction has fueled criticism of Pakistan’s government digital services, many of which have been repeatedly flagged for poor user experience and design oversights.
As of now, NADRA has not issued a correction or acknowledged whether the issue is a technical glitch, mislabeled option, or deeper flaw in the app’s design.