Govt mulls over names for NADRA chairman's slot

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to immediately appoint the acting chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), citing sources, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The government mulled over names for the acting chairman’s slot of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Additional Secretary Asad Islam is likely to be appointed as the NADRA’s acting chairman, sources said.

Zulfiqar Ahmed and Mir Ali were also included in the list.

According to the law, the government is bound to appoint new NADRA chairman in 60 days. The appointment for the new NADRA chairman will be made through advertisement.

Sources added that Usman Mubeen is also being considered for the NADRA chairman’s slot. He had also performed responsibilities on the post earlier. DG NADRA Islamabad Zulfiqar Ahmed and DG NADRA Balochistan Mir Alam were also included in the list.

DG NADRA Balochistan Mir Alam is the brother of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Noor Alam. Sources told ARY News that the appointment is expected to be made in a few days.

Earlier, NADRA chairman Tariq Malik decided to step down from the post. The Nadra chief met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif yesterday and formally presented his resignation.

Tariq Malik is under investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency for alleged involvement in a corruption scandal.

Malik was appointed as chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on June 21 in PTI government tenure. He has been Nadra’s chief in the past as well.

In 2013, he was then sacked from his position by the then PML-N government, but was immediately restored by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He then resigned afterwards, alleging extreme pressure from the government.