The Punjab government has officially implemented new rules for the registration of births and deaths, aimed at making the process simpler, faster, and more accessible for citizens across the province.
According to a notification issued via the Punjab Gazette, the Local Government Department has completed the legislation process and introduced a new framework that streamlines responsibilities and removes unnecessary hurdles in registration procedures.
Under the new rules, the registration of births for children up to seven years of age will now be completely free. Additionally, clear responsibilities have been outlined for different age brackets:
Births up to one year will be registered by the Secretary of the concerned Union Council.
Births up to seven years will fall under the jurisdiction of the Assistant Director.
For children older than seven years, registration will be handled by the Deputy Director.
These changes are intended to decentralise and expedite the registration process, ensuring that citizens do not face bureaucratic delays.
In parallel to this initiative, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has developed a mobile application to enable online registration of births, deaths, and changes in marital status. A NADRA spokesperson confirmed that the app will first be rolled out in Punjab, with plans for wider expansion.
The mobile app allows citizens to register life events from their homes through a user-friendly interface and biometric verification, which is being enabled at Union Councils across Punjab. The authority is also setting up one-window counters in the Union Councils of Islamabad to facilitate the public further.
In another major development, NADRA has joined hands with provincial governments to implement a digital registration system in hospitals and healthcare centres, bringing birth and death certification processes directly into medical facilities.