The National and Information Statistics Authority (NISA) announced that over three million electronic ID cards were issued across Afghanistan in the past year, reflecting a significant increase in the issuance process.
At a press conference held at the government’s Information and Media Center in Kabul on August 7, Dr. Faqir Mohammad Ziyar, Director General of NISA, reported that 3,265,600 people received electronic ID cards through 79 distribution centers in Kabul and other provinces last year, marking a 23% increase compared to the previous year.
Since the inception of the electronic ID card distribution, 13,868,000 cards have been issued, with 7.8 million distributed since the Islamic Emirate’s return to power. Dr. Ziyar highlighted the establishment of five Easy Service centers in Kabul, Khost, and Kandahar, which provide electronic ID cards, birth certificates, and post-distribution services to hundreds of citizens daily.
To assist Afghans living abroad, an Easy Service center has been opened in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with plans to extend this service to Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey soon.
Ismatullah Hakim, NISA’s deputy head, also spoke at the press conference, revealing that Afghanistan’s population is estimated at 35.7 million for the year 1403, with 18.2 million males and 17.5 million females. According to Hakim, 9.2 million people reside in cities, 25 million in villages, and 1.5 million as nomads.
Hakim added that the country’s real gross domestic product reached $15.7 billion last year, showing a 2.7% increase compared to the previous year, primarily due to growth in the agricultural sector.
