The Punjab Home Department has approved a key amendment to its agreement with NADRA, paving the way for citizens to access verifiable digital credentials for their arms licenses. The government did not move ahead with the deployment without first addressing notable security concerns identified in the original proposal, opting to revise the system’s design before granting final approval.
The initial version of the digital system had included single sign-on authentication and shared login features, which prompted the Punjab Information Technology Board to step in and flag serious technical and security concerns tied specifically to these provisions. Acting on this feedback, PITB recommended removing the single sign-on clause from the draft agreement altogether, and the relevant authorities agreed, fully scrapping both the shared login and single sign-on features in order to better protect user data. Following this revision, legal teams reviewed the amended agreement before it received final approval, reflecting a more cautious approach to rolling out sensitive citizen data systems compared to what had originally been proposed.
Under the newly approved arrangement, citizens across Punjab will gain instant access to their digital arms licenses, with the government issuing these verifiable credentials directly through the Pak ID Wallet application. This setup allows license holders to easily prove their license status whenever required, without needing to carry or produce physical documentation. The digital credentials are securely linked to the central Punjab arms database, a design intended to make license verification considerably easier, faster, and more secure for both citizens and law enforcement personnel who may need to confirm license validity during routine checks or other official procedures.
To maintain uninterrupted digital service delivery, the Punjab Home Department also extended its broader working agreement with NADRA, with official documents confirming that the renewed partnership will now run until December 31, 2026. Notably, this validated timeframe retroactively covers the operational period stretching back to January 1, 2023, effectively formalizing an arrangement that had already been functioning informally over that period. The move adds to a broader pattern of Punjab’s provincial government pursuing digitization of citizen facing services, with this latest initiative specifically addressing how sensitive licensing data is verified and secured within a mobile digital identity framework.
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