ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has approved issuance of national identity cards with lifetime validity for people with disabilities, a press release said on Tuesday.
According to a census report published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2023, around 7.5 million people in Pakistan have disabilities. An estimated 1.3 billion people about 16 percent of the global population, currently experience significant disability.
“One of the primary changes involves the issuance of distinct identity cards for special persons with lifetime validity,” NADRA said in a statement announcing the amendments.
“Adult special citizens, whether resident or non-resident, duly recognized by respective federal or provincial entities, will be eligible for national identity cards featuring a wheelchair logo with lifetime validity.”
People with disabilities in Pakistan face many challenges, including discrimination, exploitation, and mistreatment. However, some recent steps have been taken to improve their situation including the passage of the ICT Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2020 and the ratification in 2011 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Disabled Persons Employment and Rehabilitation Ordinance 1981 also provides job quotas for people with disabilities living in Pakistan.
