ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Friday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to initiate formal investigation against former National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman Imtiaz Tajwar for alleged irregularities committed during his stint and sought a report within a week.
The interior minister, who was chairing a board meeting, also ordered the FIA to probe within a week the matter of a rented building hired for the NADRA office in Islamabad, besides renovation estimates given by the NESPAK, causing gross financial dent to the authority.
“I am disturbed by the fact that the NADRA has taken a rented building for Rs 4.5 million per month and has already paid advance rent for 18 months with shady contract clauses,” he said. “It is also mind-boggling to look at the renovation cost put in by the NESPAK, and the matter needed immediate investigation by the FIA,” he added.
The minister also formed two committees, comprising senior officials from the ministry and the NADRA board members, to review financial and administrative powers of chairman and senior management of the NADRA. The committees would give a way forward for better financial and administrative measures that would be put in place for transparent and efficient working of the NADRA. Owing to impressive response received from aliens returning their computerised national identity cards (CNICs) voluntarily, the minister extended the amnesty scheme being offered during the ongoing CNICs re-verification drive by another month. It was also informed that 90.5 million CNICs had been verified so far while around 58,000 aliens/intruders had been identified during the ongoing campaign.
Expressing dissatisfaction over NADRA’s working, especially behaviour of its officials with the public, the minister directed NADRA officials to facilitate the public.
