ISLAMABAD    -    National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has rolled out Iris Recognition System at its few registration centres in a move to strengthen the existing biometric verification system.

The Iris technology will now complement NADRA’s existing biometric verification system, said a statement issued by the authority here on Saturday. NADRA started off with fingerprint matching as the first biometric reduplication modality over a decade ago which was subsequently strengthened with facial images matching capability.

The Iris recognition system, which was piloted at NADRA Headquarters, has now been rolled out at its registration centres at Blue Area Islamabad, PECO Road Lahore and DHA Karachi. The phased deployment of the technology will continue across all 700 NRCs (NADRA registration centres) nationwide, according to details.

This automated biometric identification modality registers distinctive patterns within a ring-shaped region surrounding the pupil of each eye for identification, NADRA claimed in the statement. The Iris Recognition is an extremely reliable and accurate identification method with negligible false match rates adding third biometric modality to its biometric verification system, it added.

While unveiling the initiative, Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik said that the deployment of premium identity authentication by the authority leverages stateof- the-art recognition technology, offering precision with enhanced security and efficiency in the identity verification of citizens. “The introduction of the Iris Recognition System marks a significant leap forward in securing citizens’ identities, where the window to their soul becomes the fortress of their digital existence,” he said.

NADRA’s achievement will usher in a new era in Pakistan where an individual’s identity credentials can be captured through the most precise, secure and hygienic option of Iris biometrics, he added Malik further noted that since no two irises are the same, such modality of verification is not susceptible to identity duplication and theft. Whether its government services, financial institutions, or any other industry that deals with sensitive information, identity verification is a critical aspect of ensuring the integrity and security of our systems, he added.

With the Iris biometric technology, we are taking a major step forward in streamlining and fortifying the processes of secure identification, he underlined.