The reported number is significantly higher than the cancellation figures recorded in previous years, according to the ministry's data.
The ministry said Afghan nationals had obtained Pakistani identity cards through fraud and forgery. The cards were cancelled after officials determined that they had been secured through fraudulent means.
CNIC Cancellation Figures Over the Years
The Ministry of Interior reported the following annual figures for cancelled identity cards:
2026: 255,139
2025: 624
2024: 8,500
2023: 117
2022: 62
The figures show a sharp increase in reported CNIC cancellations in 2026 compared with the preceding years.
The data was shared with the National Assembly by the Ministry of Interior. The figures cited in the report do not provide further details about the individual cases or the process used to establish fraud.
The cancellations highlight the authorities' action against identity cards they say were obtained through fraudulent registration.
