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Residents across the Islamabad are expressing concern over a newly launched “Islamabad Household Survey”, issued under the ICT administration and Ministry of Interior, which is reportedly collecting extensive personal information from households.
The survey, conducted offline and on paper, asks for details that go far beyond simple headcounts. According to copies circulating online, households are being asked to provide:
- Full CNIC or passport numbers of owners and tenants
- Mobile phone numbers
- Nationality details of all household members
- Vehicle ownership information linked to the residence
- Data on other residents, including relationships
- Information on domestic staff, including CNICs and employment details
Residents say the request is raising privacy concerns, particularly because there is no clear explanation of how this data will be stored, who will have access, and for how long it will be retained.
Government has not yet fully enforced comprehensive personal data protection law. Experts warn that large-scale collection of CNICs, phone numbers, and household profiles without robust safeguards could expose citizens to identity theft, data leaks, or profiling.
The Islamabad administration has stated that the survey is part of a household mapping initiative, but detailed explanations regarding data security or legal protections have not been publicly shared.
