The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding with a civil society organization in a bid to educate and motivate citizens to get registered with national database.

Under the MoU signed with ‘Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), NADRA will identify the areas where the registration of people is low and FAFEN will run the public mobilization campaign to bring folks out for registration.

The goal is to achieve the target of 100 per cent registration through creating awareness and motivation among the people in the rural areas by using FAFEN help, said NADRA Deputy Chairman Tariq Malik who signed the agreement with FAFEN Chairperson Mossarat Qadeem.

To supervise the project, a member joint committee will be formed comprising a senior member from each side. The committee will also identify such areas where CNIC coverage is very low especially among the women. Such areas will be chosen as the model areas for the aggressive campaign.

According to MoU, the role of FAFEN was restricted to creating awareness of the CNIC while it would not be allowed to collect any forms, application, materials, documentation, personal or private data or information or collection of any fee from any person on behalf of NADRA.

FAFEN along with other civil society organizations undertakes nationwide voter education campaigns in order to motivate and inform potential voters to increase public confidence and increase the participation of women first-time voters (youth), ethnic and religious minorities, and other marginalized groups.

NADRA has already registered 98 per cent of the male population and 71.2 per cent of the female population in the country. Overall percentage of the registered population in the country is 86 per cent.

Presently, only 12.28 million citizens eligible for the registration are yet to be registered.