‘Women Can Retain Their Father’s Name After Marriage’
Malik termed the new change as a "phenomenal one" as it would help women to decide as per their will
National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has revised its “unofficial policy” of binding women to keep their husband’s name after marriage, and now they can carry on with their father’s name.
Previously, the married women were asked to get their computerized national identity card (CNIC) updates with their husband’s name on it.
The new decision was announced by NADRA’s chairperson Tariq Malik while addressing the concluding session of the 14th Annual Rural Women Conference.
Chairperson Nadra @ReplyTariq was addressing on 14th annual Rural Women Leadership Conference organized by PODA Pakistan held on 15.10.21 at lok virsa #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen pic.twitter.com/cHaUMfUduo
— Sabahat Ambreen (@Sabahatambreen9) October 15, 2021
“We are breaking down this policy and women now have the authority to register themselves with their father’s or husband’s name”, he said.
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He said that the practice of making married women adopt their husband’s name on their CNIC was an “unofficial policy”, which will be no longer applicable.
Malik termed the new change as a “phenomenal one” as it would help women to decide to continue with their father’s name or husbands as per their will.
Further, he added Nadra had also identified a gender bias in the registration policy along with algorithmic bias in its software and promised that the authority will resolve both issues.
Malik said Nadra will be holding “open kachehri” for women across the country to listen to their complaints, adding that changes regarding the registration policy.
Concluding the conference, NADRA Chairman said that several steps have been taken to increase women’s registration to empower them and protect their rights.
