(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The smart national identity cards which is optional at present will eventually replace the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop).
The Pakistan Consulate in Dubai has started issuing new smart national identity cards (Snic) that will give Pakistanis in the UAE access to electronic voting in the next general elections of their country. It is printed in Urdu as well as English.
Snic which is optional at present will eventually replace the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop). It is based on a processor based chip technology that has 30 security features making it one of the most secure identity documents across the globe.
Consular services on wheels!
Mobile consular services will be started within weeks for Pakistanis residing in Northern Emirates said Consul-General of Pakistan to Dubai Javed Khattak.
“This will save time for a number of people who come all the way from other emirates such as Sharjah Ras Al Khaimah Umm Al Quwain Fujairah and Ajman to Dubai for these services” he said while speaking to reporters.
“This will also reduce crowding at the consulate” he added.
The consular services will be provided for two days over the weekends (Friday/Saturday) on the premises of Pakistani schools located in these emirates.
Khattak also said that expansion plans for the consulate premises were in the pipeline and would happen soon.
He said that inspections were being carried out in Pakistani schools ahead of KHDA inspections so as to improve education standards.
Dubai is the second overseas location where the Pakistan government has launched these cards. The cards are already being issued to Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia. The Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi will also start issuing the cards soon.
“The card printed in Urdu and English is a unique identification document in the region” said Javed Jalil Khattak Consul-General of Pakistan in Dubai while officially launching the new cards on Wednesday.
The first two cards from Dubai were issued to a newborn and an elderly citizen of Pakistan.
He said that post 9/11 the importance of secure citizen identity document had increased manifold. “The laser printed card cannot be tampered with” he emphasised.
Valid for seven years the card has a number of product offerings including accidental death insurance (already in place for every applicant) cash transfer facilities frequent flying miles programmes targeted subsidy programmes Pakistani driving licence haj and umrah programmes discounts and more.
The card is also compliant with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“Other programmes will be added as and when supporting platforms are ready” said Khattak.
The normal Snic costs Dh128 and would be delivered within 30 days while to get the card issued on an urgent basis it will cost Dh147 and would be delivered in 10 days. There is another executive fee category where the card can be delivered to you within seven days at a cost of Dh165.
Nicops (being issued currently) cost Dh92 for normal Dh110 for urgent and Dh128 for the executive category.
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