Afghan authorities have distributed 287,000 electronic identification cards since the process began one year and a half ago.

Addressing a ceremony to inaugurate a e-ID card distribution center in Kabul, Ahmad Javed Rasooli, head of National Statistics and Information Authority, said that rate of distribution of the cards has increased over the last six months when 200,000 cards were distributed.
He said that the cards have been distributed in capital Kabul, western Herat and eastern Nangarhar provinces.
He said that new centers will be established in Kandahar, Bamyan, Balkh and Paktia provinces.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched new electronic ID cards in May last year. The system is intended to reduce fraud, streamline public administration and give a clearer picture of the population by centralizing data on one digitized card.
Kabul Governor Mohammad Yaqub Haidari said that the cards would facilitate urban services and reduce crimes and terrorist attacks.
However, the new system has been rejected by some groups for designating a holder’s nationality as “Afghan”.