Islamabad: Pakistan’s national database authority has launched its locally developed automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) with a remarkable 99.5 per cent accuracy rate.
The system called “Nadir” (the Urdu word for unique) has been developed by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) software engineers.
“Based on Fingerprint Verification Competition (FVC), an internationally acclaimed benchmarking conducted in Italy, NADIR has achieved an impressive accuracy rate exceeding 99.5 per cent,” NADRA Chairman Tariq Malik said in a statement.
The automated system is set to transform how biometric identification is used in various civil applications, from immigration to border control to e-governance and social services. With its advanced technology,
NADRA can now accurately and quickly store fingerprints and identify individuals for a wide range of purposes as a public good.
The launch of the system has solidified NADRA’s position as a global leader in advanced identity management solutions, the statement said.
With this development, “Pakistan has now joined the few countries that have developed their indigenous AFIS technology” and is now set to offer its product in the international market to help countries improve identification processes.
According to authority officials, the global market for biometric identification technology is mostly dominated by providers from developed countries like the US, the UK, Russia, Japan, France, Germany, and others.
In March, NADRA launched a new data protection service, called ‘Ijazat Aap Ki’, which ensures the protection and privacy of citizens’ data. Pakistan’s first data protection service gives people more control over their data and restricts unauthorised access to service providers, including banks, by sending a 6-digit passcode to the phones of citizens when there is a request for a transaction or personal information.
