Bugti affirms NADRA’s national security role

Interior minister defends appointment of a lieutenant general as authority’s chairman

ISLAMABAD:

Weeks after the appointment of Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir Afsar as the Chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti staunchly defended the decision, asserting that Nadra has evolved into a national security institution.

Addressing criticism surrounding the appointment of a lieutenant general to lead Nadra, Minister Bugti emphasized the pivotal role of the authority in national security. He stated, "Nadra has become a security institution, a national security institution," underscoring the strategic significance it holds.

Explaining the rationale behind selecting Lt. Gen. Munir Afsar for the leadership role in October, the interior minister clarified that the decision was driven by the need for a leader with a dual proficiency in digitalization and security matters.
Bugti was addressing a news conference on the “artificial” shortage and price hike of urea and the measures government was adopting to curb its hoarding, at the PID Media Centre on Tuesday.

He was flanked by Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi and Interim Minister for Petroleum Muhammad Ali.

Bugti said Lt Gen Afsar had introduced a stringent system in Nadra, noting that identity theft was a serious crime and that efforts were being made to overcome it.

He said repatriation of those who had entered into the system through identity theft and declared themselves Pakistanis was mandatory.

He maintained that a multi-pronged strategy was being implemented, adding that results were being produced gradually.
Responding to a question why Nadra was headed by a general instead of a civilian, the interior minister clarified that the government never put a question mark on anyone’s eligibility criteria, noting that several competent candidates could perform this task.

He asserted that Nadra had not been handed over to anyone as it functioned under the interior ministry, received budget and was audited as well.

Bugti lamented the usage of words that something had been handed over to someone, saying it was inappropriate. “Be positive, think positive,” he said.

“When we conducted interviews [of the candidates],” Bugti revealed, “we reached the conclusion that this person (Gen Afsar) is the most suitable one for the job”.

In addition, the minister said Gen Afsar was a Pakistani and his interview as well as his past conduct made the interviewers feel that he would serve to the best of his abilities.

However, the interior minister incorporated, “if the general does not serve well then some other Pakistani can replace him and perform better”.

He called for refraining from maligning institutions for “negative purposes”, noting that people never appreciated their good work.

Recently, it was reported that the government had constituted a new committee under the supervision of a three-star military general for data integration to broaden the tax base.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had notified the technical committee under Lt Gen Afsar to develop a new plan for data integration.

On the issue of hoarding, Bugti said that the hoarders were from “amongst us” and causing much damage to the citizens.
He said several individuals involved in hoarding and other such practices had been arrested and were being prosecuted by the interim government. “But smuggling and hoarding does not simply end by apprehending a few individuals.”

“We are not claiming that smuggling has fully stopped but at least it is not happening under government’s patronage,” Bugti said, adding that smuggling was not being done on the routes established for trade purposes.

The ministers observed that Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq had taken notice of the issue of urea, adding that when the matter was deliberated, it was revealed that there was no shortage of urea.

Surprising as it may seem, the news conference was interrupted at least four times because of power outage.