ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday launched the pilot phase of Digital Power of Attorney Service for overseas Pakistanis.

The innovative digital solutions introduced by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) offer the much-awaited ease for overseas Pakistanis that earlier required a tedious process involving physical appearance at the respective missions abroad.

Nadra, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has designed, developed and implemented a web-based solution that allows overseas Pakistanis to apply for issuance of power of attorney (PoA). Digitisation of the process for issuance of PoA is aimed at addressing the inconvenience being faced by overseas Pakistanis.

Nadra chairman Tariq Malik said rolling out digital services for expatriates was another step towards implementing the prime minister’s vision of creating ease in public service delivery. He said that every year over 73,000 overseas Pakistanis physically visited embassies and missions abroad for PoA issuance.

Thanks lawmakers for attending joint sitting of parliament despite illness, family engagements

The digital solution for issuance of PoA from the comfort of their homes was a leap forward putting an end to customer inconvenience alongside saving time and traveling cost for overseas Pakistanis, he added. Moreover, the Pakistanis residing in those countries or cities which do not have a Pakistan embassy or consulate will get benefit largely from this online facility who earlier had to travel to the nearest country at Pakistan diplomatic mission for issuance of PoA.

The pilot phase has been launched in 10 Pakistan missions abroad that will subsequently be replicated in all other missions. The 10 foreign missions to be covered in the pilot phase are: Washington D.C, New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles in the United States and London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Bradford in the United Kingdom.

This innovative solution created by Nadra utilises state-of-the-art Pak-ID Online Biometric Verification Services. The applicants (also known as executors) along with two witnesses will scan and upload their paper-based biometrics which are verified through the national database in real-time.

Nadra has enabled a video interview module in the application that will allow the consular officer at the Pakistan mission concerned to conduct online interview of the executors and witnesses and notarise their consent to execute PoA.

The solution has features to upload scanned documents and pictures and also allows the consular officer to compare and verify details from Nadra data. The features incorporated above meet the global benchmarks of e-KYC compliance.

In addition to software development and biometric verifications, Nadra will continue to provide customer support to end-users facing issues with their applications through Pak-ID Live Chat Feature. Nadra will also provide post-deployment technical support and maintenance services to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

PM lauds spirit of MNAs

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday appreciated the spirit of members of the National Assembly who attended the joint sitting of parliament despite serious illness or other urgent family engagements, APP adds.

The prime minister in a tweet mentioned Mohammad Kheyal Zaman, Ehsanullah Tiwana and Rahat Amanullah Bhatti who ensured their presence despite being seriously ill. He also expressed gratitude to Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad who attended the session despite the death of his brother.

The majority votes of treasury benches led to the passage of a series of bills, including use of electronic voting machines and grant of voting rights to overseas Pakistanis in the next general elections.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021