The electronic national ID card system was officially launched in Kabul on Thursday when President Ashraf Ghani and the First Lady Rula Ghani were handed their cards.

Speaking at the event, Ghani said the roll out of the new system was in line with attempts to tighten security.

He said the new ID cards would hopefully cut down on the number of fake IDs (Tazkiras) in the country.

“One of the key reasons why we have started this process is because of Monday’s terrorist attacks. It is very possible that the attackers used fake IDs. The key decision for me is the security of the people and we must know who are Afghans,” Ghani said.

“Governance, economic development and services in the 21 century is not possible without information and with the electronic ID system we cannot achieve this,” he said.

He also said government is taking the elections seriously and called on the people to register to vote for October’s elections.

Ghani also extended his condolences to the families of the victims of Monday's attack.

Two suicide bombers killed almost 30 people in the double bombing in Shash Darak on Monday. Nine journalists were also killed in the incident.

The journalists had been targeted after rushing to the scene of the first explosion. Officials said the second suicide bomber had shown a press pass and posed as a journalist before detonating his explosives.