Tech Desk 
Aug 29, 2025
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has quietly amended its controversial option in its PakID mobile app feature after heavy criticism and trolling on social media.
Earlier this month, the app's “Cancel Identity Due to Death” service included a strange option that became a hot topic across social media platforms. Users were given two options: one for relatives of the deceased and one for “Myself”.
The weirdness of the app feature became viral, and users questioned how a dead individual was going to use facial recognition technology to confirm their own death.
Additionally, the app required a liveness check with facial recognition to use the Cancel Identity Due to Death service. Users were questioning the app design and quality control.
As the news made progress across different platforms, such as news outlets and social media, users created many memes and criticisms surrounding NADRA and the app. Users referred to the incident as “dark tech comedy”.
The flubbed app feature sparked a conversation about the importance of careful digital service design processes in Pakistan and how millions of users rely on NADRA's apps for comprehensive identity and registration services.
NADRA has now made the new change after the scandal of its feature. It has quietly removed the “Myself” option in the designated app feature and updated how it would operate.
Moreover, it has also updated the process in that only relatives can request the ID card cancellation for deceased individuals; relatives will first have to confirm the relationship with the deceased.
To make the process smoother, the new version of the app also integrates a family tree verification system, ensuring requests are more accurate and less confusing.
