The Punjab government has taken a major step to make identity-related services easier for special children and their families. On the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Special Education Department has coordinated with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to provide services directly at special education schools.
Punjab Special Education Secretary Syed Shoaib Iqbal held a meeting with the NADRA South Director General to discuss arrangements for providing identity-related facilities to children with special needs. The initiative aims to reduce the difficulties faced by children and their parents when they have to visit government offices for documentation and registration services.
According to the Special Education Department spokesperson, NADRA mobile buses and vans will visit special education schools across Punjab. NADRA officials will provide the required services to eligible children at their respective schools.
The new arrangement is expected to make the process easier for families who may face difficulties travelling to NADRA offices with children requiring special assistance. Instead of making repeated trips to government offices, parents will be able to access the relevant services when NADRA teams visit their children’s schools.
The initiative particularly focuses on services related to special identity cards for children with special needs. The department said the facility will help families complete the necessary identity-related procedures in a more convenient environment.
Syed Shoaib Iqbal said cooperation between the Punjab Special Education Department and NADRA would continue to ensure that special children can access important government services at their educational institutions. He stressed the importance of providing facilities to children with special needs without creating unnecessary difficulties for them or their parents.
The mobile service model will allow NADRA staff to take the required equipment and services directly to schools. This can reduce travel requirements for families and make access to documentation services more convenient.
The initiative also reflects an effort to connect public services with special education institutions. Schools will provide a familiar environment for children, while NADRA teams will handle the relevant identity-related procedures during their scheduled visits.
For parents, one of the main expected benefits is reduced travel to NADRA offices. Families often need to make multiple visits when applying for or updating identity documents. Bringing mobile teams to schools could make the process simpler and reduce the burden associated with those visits.
The Special Education Department has said that the cooperation with NADRA will continue as the programme is implemented. Further details about the schedule of mobile buses and vans and the schools they will visit are expected to be communicated through the relevant authorities.
The Punjab government has been focusing on initiatives aimed at improving facilities for children with special needs. Providing identity services at schools is intended to make access to government documentation easier and more accessible.
Under the new arrangement, children with special needs will no longer be required to routinely visit NADRA offices for their special cards when the required services can be provided through the mobile teams at their schools.
The initiative is expected to benefit both students and their parents by bringing an important government service closer to the children who need it.
Also read: NADRA Introduces Self-Service Kiosks at ID Centres
