Attached Departments of the Interior Ministry: NADRA, FIA, Rangers & the Full Family
The interior ministry’s real power lies in its attached departments — the agencies that issue your CNIC, print your passport, investigate federal crime and guard the frontiers. This is the complete family tree, what each does, and how to reach them.
Quick answer: The interior ministry’s attached departments: NADRA (CNICs), DGIP (passports/immigration), FIA (federal investigations), NCCIA (cybercrime), ANF (anti-narcotics), Pakistan Rangers (Punjab/Sindh), Frontier Corps (KP/Balochistan), Islamabad Police, Frontier Constabulary, Intelligence Bureau, National Police Bureau.
In this guide
Civil registration & immigration
- NADRA (nadra.gov.pk, helpline 1777): CNICs, family registration certificates, the national citizen database — the backbone of identity in Pakistan.
- DGIP (dgip.gov.pk, 051-111-344-777): passports and immigration — see our passport guide.
Investigation & enforcement
- FIA (fia.gov.pk, 1991): federal crimes — human smuggling, money laundering, immigration offences.
- NCCIA: the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency — cybercrime investigation, succeeding FIA’s cybercrime wing, under the ministry.
- ANF: the Anti-Narcotics Force — drug enforcement; its parent narcotics ministry merged into Interior in February 2025.
The civil armed forces
- Pakistan Rangers (Punjab & Sindh): border security with India and internal security duties — the red-uniformed force of the eastern border.
- Frontier Corps (KP & Balochistan): frontier security in the west, the oldest paramilitary.
- Frontier Constabulary: policing support in KP and beyond.
- Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts and Pakistan Coast Guards also fall under the ministry’s security umbrella.
Policing & intelligence
- Islamabad Police (ICT Police): the capital’s force, reporting to the ministry.
- National Police Bureau: policy, coordination and the National Police Academy (Islamabad), which trains PSP officers.
- Intelligence Bureau (IB): the civilian domestic intelligence agency.
Related Guides
Departments: FAQs
Is NADRA under the interior ministry?
Yes — NADRA is an attached department of the Ministry of Interior.
Is the FIA part of the interior ministry?
Yes — the Federal Investigation Agency reports to the Interior Minister.
What is the NCCIA?
The National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency — Pakistan’s dedicated cybercrime investigation body under the interior ministry.
Do the Rangers come under the interior ministry?
Yes — Pakistan Rangers (Punjab and Sindh) are civil armed forces under the ministry’s administrative control.
