ISLAMABAD – The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has dismissed claims circulating on social media that the last digit of a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) number indicates a citizen’s gender.
In a statement, it said misinformation shared on platforms such as Wikipedia and Facebook suggests that odd-numbered final digits represent males, while even-numbered digits indicate females.
The authority has clarified that this claim is incorrect and that a citizen’s gender cannot be determined from the last digit of their CNIC number.
NADRA explained that the final digit is a check digit, calculated through a specific technical and mathematical process to help verify the validity of an identification number. It does not disclose a citizen’s gender or other personal information.
The authority added that a citizen’s gender is explicitly mentioned on the CNIC in both Urdu and English.
NADRA said it had previously issued a public clarification through newspapers on December 4, 2022, in light of the Peshawar High Court’s orders in writ petition No. P-40/2021.
The authority urged citizens and public and private organisations not to rely on unverified information circulating on Wikipedia, Facebook or other social media platforms.
It advised people to consult the verified information printed on the identity card when determining a citizen’s gender, rather than drawing conclusions from the final digit of the CNIC number.