The National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) mobile app has raised eyebrows with a peculiar design flaw: the option for deceased individuals to cancel their own identity cards.
Within the app’s “Cancel Identity Due to Death” feature, users are offered two choices — one for relatives of the deceased and another oddly labeled “Myself.” If the latter is selected, the applicant is directed to complete a facial recognition “liveness check,” a process meant to confirm the user is alive and matches NADRA’s records.
This means, in theory, a deceased individual would need to log in, start the process, and pass a liveness test — an obvious contradiction that has left many baffled.
When contacted, a NADRA spokesperson clarified that the service is meant only for relatives of the deceased. However, the spokesperson did not explain why the “Myself” option exists or why it requires a liveness check, raising further questions about oversight in app design.
This incident highlights recurring issues in Pakistan’s government apps, where usability flaws and poor design choices often undermine otherwise essential citizen services. NADRA has yet to confirm whether this is a technical glitch, mislabeling error, or deeper design flaw.
