NADRA introduces alternate verification service “Tasdeeq” for senior citizens

Innovative service launched to facilitate the authentication of identity credential through Artificial Intelligent generated from NADRA database: Chairman NADRA

Banks to carry out KYC of senior citizens using alternate method of verification through Artificial Intelligence generated secret questions from the NADRA database: Tariq Malik

Longstanding issue of biometrics for senior citizens gets resolved

Citizens above 60 years have biometric matching issues as ageing causes skin to lose elasticity and fingerprints patterns to become less prominent: Chairman NADRA

Islamabad January 12: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has introduced an innovative solution to the longstanding problem of verifying fingerprints of senior citizens. The solution envisages alternate identity verification for senior citizens above 60 years of age. They will be asked artificial intelligence-based secret personal questions for identity verification to bypass biometrics. Once correct answers are received, the senior citizens will be deemed to be verified, especially during biometric verification at banks.

The launch ceremony of ‘NADRA Tasdeeq service’ was held at NADRA headquarters in which Chairman NADRA Muhammad Tariq Malik along with prominent literary figures of Pakistan Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik, Kishware Naheed, Iftikhar Arif and Anwar Masood inaugurated the service. Chairman NADRA also presented a demo of NADRA verification service to the participants.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tariq Malik said, “Nadra has received countless complaints from senior citizens that they face difficulties in verifying their fingerprints especially in banks. In view of this, NADRA has introduced an innovative AI-based solution. He said that it is natural for people over sixty years of age to face problems in biometric matching as skin elasticity decreases with aging and fingerprints fade. In such a situation, elderly people cannot be verified and they face grave difficulties in opening bank accounts or receiving money.”

Mr. Malik hoped that banks will conduct their KYC exercise for senior citizens smoothly through the new solution system that will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to generate questions from the personal data stored in the NADRA database.

It is pertinent to mention that at present total 46 banks are working in the country and this service has been initiated in five banks including MCB, Allied Bank, Bank Al Falah, Bank of Khyber and Soneri Bank while National Bank, Askari Bank, First Women Bank Limited and Khushali Bank are undergoing final testing ahead of launching this service. The process of on- boarding the remaining banks has already started.

“Digital Technology can only empower people when it is developed with a whole-of-society approach”, he added.

Renowned writer of Urdu literature, Prof. Fateh Muhammad Malik, while addressing the ceremony, lauded the efforts of NADRA for launching this service and said that NADRA is the best example of a responsible national institution in Pakistan which serves citizens from all walks of life.

Well-known Urdu and Punjabi comic poet Anwar Masood, speaking on the occasion, said that the launch of the verification service for senior citizens is proof that Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik is engaged with the most pertinent issues faced by senior citizens of their country and that he is making every possible effort to solve the problems encountered.

Tariq Malik thanked the esteemed guests for their participation and acknowledged their services to Pakistan. He said that he hoped that NADRA’s targeted solutions for senior citizens using new-age technology would honor their life-time services.