The National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) mobile app has drawn criticism after users spotted a confusing feature that appears to let deceased individuals cancel their own identity cards.

Under the app’s “Cancel Identity Due to Death” option, applicants are given two choices: one for relatives of the deceased, and another labeled “Myself.” Strangely, selecting the latter triggers a facial recognition “liveness check,” a process meant to confirm that the applicant is alive and matches their official record.

This means the app seems to assume that a deceased person could log in, choose the “myself” option, and complete a liveness check, a contradiction that has left users baffled.

When contacted, a NADRA spokesperson clarified that the service is intended only for relatives of the deceased. However, the spokesperson did not explain why the “myself” selection exists in the first place or why it requires a liveness test for someone presumed dead.

This raises concerns over poor design and oversight in government digital platforms. NADRA has yet to clarify whether the feature is a glitch, a mislabeling error, or a flaw in the app’s design.