A growing number of Pakistani citizens are reportedly facing an unusual but serious issue in which they are mistakenly marked as deceased in official records maintained by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
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The issue came into focus after a resident of Hyderabad discovered that NADRA’s database incorrectly listed him as dead despite being alive. The incident raised concerns among citizens regarding how such errors occur and what procedure must be followed to restore an active status.
According to a NADRA representative, the authority does not independently declare any citizen deceased. Instead, death records are updated only after official registration by the relevant Union Council.
Officials explained that such mistakes usually occur for two primary reasons. In some cases, a family member may obtain a death certificate for an individual from the Union Council, which automatically updates the person’s status as deceased in NADRA’s database. In other instances, clerical mistakes or incorrect identity card numbers entered during the death registration process may result in the wrong person being declared dead.
NADRA clarified that correcting the error is not possible directly through its offices unless the death certificate is first cancelled at the Union Council level.
Affected individuals must personally visit the relevant Union Council where the death certificate was issued and formally request its cancellation. Once the certificate is revoked and the Union Council updates its records, the citizen can then visit any NADRA office in Pakistan.
At the NADRA office, the individual must complete biometric verification to confirm identity and process the restoration of their living status in the official database.
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Officials urged citizens to regularly verify their records and immediately report any discrepancies, as incorrect deceased status can create serious complications in banking, travel documentation, property ownership, pensions and other legal matters.
The authority noted that once all formalities are completed, the record can be corrected and the citizen’s active status restored in the national database.