PAC orders probe into NADRA data leak

Absence of religious affairs secretary irks committee

ISLAMABAD:

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament on Thursday took notice of the leakage of citizens’ data by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), directing the interior ministry to investigate the matter.

During a meeting of the committee presided over by its Chairman, Noor Alam Khan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was instructed to block the leaked data.

The PAC issued directions to the interior ministry to probe into the data leak in collaboration with the PTA, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Military Intelligence.

Noor pointed out that everyone's personal data was available on the internet, inquiring how it was leaked from NADRA. He added that the data of military officials was also leaked.

The religious affairs secretary was called to the PAC huddle to review the complaints of pilgrims about Hajj arrangements.

However, the absence of the religious affairs secretary from the meeting irked the committee.

The officials of the religious affairs ministry informed the committee that the secretary had returned from Saudi Arabia a day earlier and was feeling unwell.

The PAC summoned the religious affairs secretary on Monday.

Read more: Move of passport counters at NADRA lauded

Noor asked the officials what they had done to the pilgrims.

He added that was the religious affairs secretary sick and on a ventilator that he could not attend the committee’s meeting.

The PAC ordered an inquiry into the alleged abuse and mismanagement of Pakistani pilgrims.

Thousands of Pakistani pilgrims who had reached Makkah to perform Hajj under the government scheme could not reach Mina due to unavailability of transport.

June 26 was the first day of the sacred annual rites when several Pakistanis were scheduled to reach camps in Mina before Zuhr prayers but could not because of mismanagement.

Private Hajj Group Organisers Chairman Saeed Malik maintained that they contacted the Pakistan House repeatedly but did not receive any response.

He added that the pilgrims who had reached the holy city were facing difficulties.

Thousands of pilgrims, reportedly, were stuck in their buildings while private Hajj organisers were arranging transport on their own for the pilgrims.

The committee also directed to investigate the cases of private Hajj operators.

Noor said many pilgrims had contacted him directly.

Referring to late Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the PAC chairman said the tenure of that poor religious affairs minister, who rode a motorcycle, was fine.

“The pilgrims never faced any hardships during [the late religious affairs minister] Shakoor’s tenure,” he added.

The committee also sought an explanation from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for not taking action against eight banks involved in illegal profiteering.

The committee members observed that these banks had made illegal profits by opening letters of credit worth Rs120 each for Rs180.

They added that the SBP had taken notice of this illegal practice but had not provided information about what action it had taken against the banks involved in it.