NADRA is working on converting the computerized national identity cards into digital wallets under the government’s Digital Pakistan initiative.
Tell me more: Last year, NADRA launched an online service to issue ID cards for Pakistanis, called Pak-Identity.
As you can imagine, getting an ID card requires certain documents for verification purposes.
Thankfully, the Pak-Identity app makes it easier to capture biometrics and documents using a smartphone. This makes the process of obtaining an ID card more convenient and efficient.
Now, if NADRA knows who you are, can it also provide you with a simple and easy way to store payment information?
Well, that’s the idea behind converting ID cards into digital wallets.
As fancy as it may sound, a digital wallet is just like a physical wallet connected to your credit card or bank.
A digital wallet linked to an ID card will promote:
- contactless banking
- financial inclusion
- ease of doing business
- e-governance initiatives by offering remote identification and e-KYC (electronic know your customer)
You should know: Pak-Identity is a remarkably effective app. Over 75,000 overseas Pakistanis have used the app to process their national identity cards.
Big Picture: Connecting a digital wallet to your ID card is a bold undertaking. In addition to making life easier, this could also present serious security risks.
Let’s just say that keeping private and sensitive information safe is a challenge for NADRA.