NADRA has refuted online rumors of a policy change regarding the inclusion of “Resident of AJK State” on Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), clarifying the application process.

In a statement released on Monday, NADRA confirmed that the designation is printed in black on Smart CNICs and in red on older CNICs.

To receive this designation, applicants must provide a valid State Subject Certificate issued by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government. NADRA explicitly stated that recent social media rumors suggesting a policy change are unfounded and intended to mislead.

The authority reported issuing over 50,000 CNICs with the “Resident of AJK State” designation between December 2024 and January 2025. NADRA acknowledged that some CNICs were issued without the designation due to applicants failing to submit the required State Subject Certificate or errors during data entry.

To rectify these omissions, NADRA has proactively contacted the affected individuals to arrange for the free reissuance of corrected CNICs.

Furthermore, NADRA urged any applicants who did not initially submit the necessary State Subject Certificate to reapply with the correct documentation and pay the associated fees to obtain the correct designation on their CNIC.