The Punjab government has introduced mandatory biometric verification for the registration and issuance of birth, death, and marriage certificates at union councils to prevent fraud and improve transparency in public services.
Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique inaugurated the new Civil Registration Management System (CRMS), developed jointly by the Punjab Local Government Department and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) under the government’s “Digital Punjab, Transparent Punjab” initiative. The system requires biometric verification against NADRA’s database before certificates can be issued.
According to the minister, the system will be introduced in phases across all union councils in Punjab. The initiative aims to eliminate fake certificates and ensure citizens can access authentic documents without relying on recommendations or paying bribes.
Separately, Rafique reviewed sanitation operations under the Suthra Punjab initiative across several divisions, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala. He directed union council secretaries and municipal officials to strengthen cleanliness monitoring, particularly during the smog season, and ensure the timely reporting of garbage and crop residue burning.