Mohmand Elders Urge NADRA to Restore Blocked Identity Cards
Tribal Leaders Demand End to Discriminatory CNIC Verification in Mohmand
RESTORE TRIBAL CNICS NOW
Illustration concept: A realistic news photography scene showing tribal elders from Mohmand district addressing journalists at a press conference desk with microphones at Peshawar Press Club.
AI summary
Elders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mohmand district have urged the federal government to restore thousands of blocked national identity cards. They also demanded moving the local verification office from Charsadda to Ghalanai to reduce travel hardships for residents.
Why this matters
The blocking of national identity cards severely limits citizens' access to essential state services, banking, healthcare, and legal travel. Demanding documentation dating back to 1978 creates an insurmountable barrier for residents of former tribal areas where formal paper records were rarely maintained.
Key takeaways
- Mohmand tribal elders demand the immediate unblocking of thousands of CNICs frozen under Section 18 of the NADRA law.
- Verification requirements demanding documents from 1978 onwards were condemned as discriminatory and impossible for most locals to fulfill.
- The Mohmand Loya Jirga requested relocating the NADRA verification center from Charsadda to district headquarters in Ghalanai.
- Tribal leaders warned that unresolved identity card issues could drive frustrated residents to cross into Afghanistan.
Tribal leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mohmand district have called on federal authorities to instantly unfreeze thousands of Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) that were suspended under Section 18 of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) framework.
Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, members of the Mohmand Loya Jirga—led by Saleem Khan Mohmand—criticized the ongoing screening criteria applied to citizens living in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
According to the representatives, verification officers are asking local residents to produce historic records stretching as far back as 1978. These requested items include old national identity cards, passports, and official documentation that most families in the border district simply do not possess, leading to widespread and arbitrary card suspensions.
The elders warned that the persistent administrative hurdle and resulting frustration could compel affected residents to migrate across the border into Afghanistan if government intervention does not occur promptly.
In addition to unblocking the identity cards, the jirga demanded that NADRA immediately shift its regional verification desk from Charsadda to Ghalanai, the administrative headquarters of Mohmand district. They emphasized that requiring hundreds of locals, including women and children, to travel to Charsadda for basic verification causes unnecessary hardship and financial strain.
Frequently asked questions
- Why were the CNICs blocked in Mohmand district?
- The national identity cards were suspended under Section 18 of the NADRA law as part of a verification procedure requiring proof of historical residency.
- What documentation is NADRA requiring from residents?
- Officials are asking former FATA residents to present historical paperwork dating back to 1978, including old identity cards and passports.
- What venue change are tribal leaders requesting?
- The elders have demanded moving the NADRA verification centre from Charsadda directly to Ghalanai, the district headquarters of Mohmand.
Source & transparency
- By:
- The Reviser Desk
- Source:
- Dawn Pakistan
- Original publication:
- Aug 11, 2026, 5:19 AM
- The Reviser publication:
- Aug 11, 2026, 5:19 AM
- Updated:
- Aug 11, 2026, 5:30 AM
This report was independently written by The Reviser editorial desk from verified source material. It is not original on-the-ground reporting by The Reviser.
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