Several officers fired for data breach: Nadra

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior was informed that several officials of Nadra were dismissed for a data breach affecting 2.7 million Pakistani citizens by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

Chairman Nadra told the committee that one grade 19 and five other officers were sacked for the massive breach. Earlier, a committee member disclosed that no action was taken against those responsible for data leakage. Agha Rafiullah said those responsible for the data leak are still working in Nadra and are an important part of the department as no action has been taken against them. Furthermore, they were transferred to better posts, he said.

The meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Interior presided by Chairman Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz. Chairman Nadra told the committee that Nadra needs offices in 61 tehsils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan but it could not expand its network because that would increase the CNICs card fee. Furthermore, he highlighted funding constraints and challenges in ensuring security and efficiency within the system as other issues. PTI member Zartaj Gul questioned the appointments made by the caretaker governments. ”You said that some people have breached security, let us know what mistakes were made,” she asked. The federal government, the chairman said has no intervention other than the appointment of the chairman and the board while all Nadra appointments are made by Nadra officials. He said that a CNIC costs Rs1,200 and the amount is not taken from the citizens for the first time. The Chairman Nadra told the committee that Nadra has a budget of Rs57 billion of which 87 percent goes to salaries. He said that Nadra has around 240 vans while it is purchasing 90 more vans. As many as 75 vans will have satellite connectivity facilities while 35 vans will have satellite connectivity in Quetta and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The committee was informed that Nadra’s total workforce stands at 20,577, with 202 officers hired and 60 officers dismissed or removed from service during the last five years. Additionally, it was reported that revenue generation has increased from Rs 23.55 billion in 2019-20 to Rs57 billion in 2023-24. Responding to the increasing need for Nadra facilitation centres in Karachi’s districts of Korangi, East, West, and Central, the official informed the committee that 26 National Registration Centers (NRCs) and 3 Mega NRCs are currently operational across various districts in Karachi. Nadra is planning to open one additional NRC and four Mega NRCs in Karachi during 2024-25. The committee emphasised the need for establishing Nadra facilitation centres at the Tehsil level nationwide. Committee member Agha Rafiullah voiced frustration over unresolved issues faced by the Bihari community. Agha Rafiullah reminded the committee of its past commitments, saying: “I had said that no government bill will be passed until the Bihari issue is resolved.”

During the meeting, the West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order (Repeal) Bill, 2024, moved by Sahibzada Sibghatullah, MNA, was also presented. The Ministry of Interior has opposed the amendment bill related to 3 and 16 MPO laws. Sahibzada Sibghatullah has said that Quaid-e-Azam also opposed such a bill during British rule so this should be repealed. PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel said that such laws should be abolished from all provinces. The committee decided to defer this bill pending provincial feedback.

The Additional Inspector General (AIG) and Commandant of Punjab Police briefed the Committee on rape cases involving minors over the past five years, existing protocols from reporting to prosecution, and the status of prosecuted and pending cases. During the period from 2020 to 2024, a total of 8,306 rape cases involving minors were registered, with 6,950 accused arrested. Of these, 299 were convicted, 1,736 acquitted, 1,088 discharged, and 3,827 cases remain under trial.

The committee also discussed the “Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Section 462O) (Government Bill)” and directed the Ministry to include a clause in the Bill permitting the filing of an FIR against the responsible employee(s) and the distribution company in cases of wrongful billing. Additionally, it was directed that usage/theft slabs should be specified in the bill and that the proposed law should differentiate between residential, commercial, and industrial users.

The Director General of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) briefed the Committee on human smuggling networks recently uncovered by the agency. The committee was informed that several Overseas Employment Promoters from Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi were implicated in this crime. The investigation is ongoing, and notices have been served to the implicated OEPs. Since it is a cross-border crime, additional information is required from offices in Romania, and the inquiry is expected to take six to seven months to conclude. The committee was informed that the names of MNA Nisar Ahmed Jatt and Sahibzada Hamid Raza have been removed from PINL.

The DG FIA told the Committee that 4000 beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia in three years. He said organized gangs are involved in sending beggars abroad. “We have offloaded 400 people from the airport,” the DG FIA told the committee.

During the meeting, on the issue of giving powers to the police regarding electricity theft, the Secretary Power Division said the police cannot take action in cases where there is no cognizable crime. “When we registered the cases, there was an objection from the Sindh government. They are getting more powers through the act to prevent electricity theft,’ he said. Abdul Qadir Patel said that big thieves are not caught but small ones are being arrested. “Many people get a bill of Rs 3-4 lakh and several months later it is found that the bill was sent mistakenly,” he said adding that there should be accountability for mistakes. MQM’s Khawaja Izharul Hasan said the MQM will not support this amendment and said first industrial thefts should be brought to book and then action must be taken against common consumers,” he said. Secretary Power Division said no one is prosecuted for not paying the bill or paying the same in instalments. “The case is only registered for meter tampering or Kunda connections,” he said.

In the meanwhile, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (Section 489F), moved by MNA Sohail Sultan was presented before the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Interior. The committee deferred the Bill until the ministry received feedback from the provinces. The West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order (Repeal) Bill, 2024 moved by Sahibzada Sibghatullah was presented. The committee decided to defer this bill as well, pending provincial feedback.