PAC wants action against Nadra officials behind COAS family data leak

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has taken notice of the data leak of the family of Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir and directed that the officials of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), who were involved, should be exposed and brought to the book.

The PAC meeting was held with Noor Alam Khan in the chair in which the audit objections related to the Interior Ministry for the financial year 2020-21 were examined. The PAC chairman directed the interior secretary to take immediate action against the Nadra officers and arrest those responsible and bring them to justice.

He directed that the Nadra data leak should be investigated by the intelligence agencies. “If the army chief’s data is not safe in this country, what will happen to the common man?” he remarked.

PAC member Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that action was taken against the Nadra officers involved in the matter. Noor Alam Khan said they wanted the real person behind the Nadra data leak to be exposed.

“The Ministry of Defence, MI and ISI should also investigate the data leaks so that those who leaked the data of army chief’s family should be in jail,” he remarked.

The interior secretary told the committee that criminal action will be taken against the officials involved in the data leaks. The PAC summoned Nadra Chairman Tariq Malik during the meeting but was told that he was in another meeting at the Presidency. It may be mentioned here that Nadra was not on the agenda of the PAC and the authority’s chairman was not invited to attend the meeting. The PAC chairman also sought from the Pakistan Housing Authority the record of allotment of plots to the president, prime minister, parliamentarians and judges. During the meeting, the chairman praised the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), saying that it was doing an excellent work. He said that the case of petroleum companies was sent to the FIA two months ago and was given the task of recovery of Rs5 billion and it had recovered Rs4.5 billion. Examining the audit objections related to the Interior Ministry, it was revealed that the cost of five projects worth Rs339.3 million of Islamabad Police exceeded Rs980 million due to delays. The PAC directed to identify those responsible for the negligence. Examining another audit para, it was revealed that 9 officers of the Immigration and Passport Department posted abroad had gone missing. Secretary Interior told the committee that between 2014 and 2016, nine contract officers of the Immigration and Passport Department were posted abroad and absconded after the completion of their posting period instead of returning to Pakistan.

Besides, the department had also not received the amount of Rs20.25 million under the surety bonds from them. He told the committee that their salaries were immediately stopped and the contracts were cancelled. Noor Alam Khan questioned why their surety bonds were not cashed and directed an inquiry and to submit a report within 15 days. The chairman PAC asked for keeping tinted glass of his vehicle due to security concerns. However, Islamabad Police IGP clarified that no one was allowed to have a vehicle with tinted glasses. Khan inquired from the IGP that apart from the members of the assembly and other important personalities, people move around in vehicles with tinted glasses. “I have formally applied to the Ministry of Home Affairs for tinted glass vehicles because I have threats,” he said. The interior secretary said that there was no policy to allow tinted glasses, be it MNAs or anyone else.