Islamabad, May 21, 2025: In a major administrative shift, the Punjab government has rolled out new birth and death registration rules to simplify and streamline the documentation process for millions of citizens.
The updated framework, now officially enforced, aims to reduce bureaucratic delays and make civil registration services more accessible across urban and rural areas alike.
What’s New in Punjab’s Civil Registration System:
As per the official notification in the Punjab Gazette, the Local Government Department has put into effect a set of regulations that redefine the responsibilities of officials handling registration tasks. Here’s what the public needs to know:
- Free Birth Registration: Parents can now register their child’s birth completely free of cost if the child is under 7 years old—a move aimed at easing financial burdens and increasing registration rates in underserved communities.
- Clear Administrative Authority:
- For children aged 0 to 1 year, Union Council (UC) Secretaries are now responsible for the registration process.
- For children up to 7 years old, the registration duty falls under the Assistant Director’s jurisdiction.
- For those 7 years and older, the relevant Deputy Director will take charge of the process.
According to UNICEF, civil registration is key to ensuring every child’s legal identity and access to basic services like healthcare, education, and social protection. With Punjab’s revised policy, the province takes a major step toward achieving universal birth registration—a goal aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.
“Removing the cost barrier and decentralizing registration responsibilities will help bridge the gap in documentation, especially in rural and low-income areas,” said a senior officer in the Local Government Department.
How Punjab Compares Nationally:
While other provinces continue to follow conventional registration models, Punjab’s proactive reforms in civil documentation now set a benchmark for nationwide replication, potentially improving data accuracy and citizen access in the long run.
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With these reforms, Punjab is not only simplifying paperwork but also empowering its citizens with identity and access. If you haven’t registered your child yet, now’s the time to take advantage of the new free registration policy.
