Late last month, users found a strange feature within NADRA’s PakID mobile app: the “Cancel Identity Due to Death” service had two choices:

  • I am a relative of the deceased
  • Myself

The second choice raised eyebrows and created viral memes because it implied dead people could report themselves dead using liveness detection and facial recognition, a clear contradiction.

Public Reaction & Media Attention

The feature quickly went viral on social media, with users making fun of the defective logic and design.

The crux of the issue: How can a person who has died be able to pass a facial recognition test?

NADRA Answers: Silent Fix Deployed

As a reaction to the outcry, NADRA unobtrusively deleted the “Myself” choice from the application. The feature was never meant for reporting oneself, a spokesperson explained, and described it as a “confusion” in the interface design.

The revised PakID application now features:

  • Relatives-only access for death-related ID cancellation
  • A step to verify relationships
  • An integration of fama ily tree to make the process quicker and error-free

New Feature: Family Tree Integration

To improve the user experience and avoid such misunderstandings, NADRA implemented a family tree verification process in the app. This makes sure that only verified family members are allowed to initiate the cancellation of a deceased person’s identity.

FAQs

1. Is it possible for an individual to cancel their own ID within the app?

No. The “Myself” option for death-related ID cancellation has been fully eliminated.

2. Who can cancel an ID in case of death now?

Only authenticated family members of the deceased are allowed to trigger the process using the app.

3. How does the new verification process work?

Family members need to verify their relationship using connected family records and the new family tree integration within the app.

Conclusion

This incident emphasizes the value of considerate app design, particularly for sensitive services such as identity management. NADRA’s faster solution and enhanced process are in the right direction, but the episode also reminds us of the influence of public scrutiny and user feedback.