Islamabad, 14 June, 2023 (GNP): The Chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Tariq Malik, stepped down from his post on Tuesday.
Malik made this decision after completing two years in office and still having time for a year in his term of chairmanship.
Team work makes dream work. There’s only one way to kill the dream: make it happen.
45 projects/#digitalpublicgoods /services completed in 2 years. Hats off to @NadraPak team 👏
Moving on! #PakistanZindabad 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/iFf07eer5y
— Tariq Malik ™ (@ReplyTariq) June 12, 2023
According to Malik, the alleged reason for his resignation is the months-long controversy over disclosing data about the family of an army chief and calling trials against some associates.
Malik had also faced allegations of corruption when he was serving as a chairman at NADRA, mainly during the Iris recognition system’s purchase.
On June 6, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) summoned him and asked for accession records of the Iris system, $3.5 million in payments, PC-1, newspaper advertisements, and related tenders.
Furthermore, NAB wanted to investigate the details regarding the rules and regulations given to contractors by NADRA.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) put a travel ban on Malik to stop him from leaving the country until the case is fully investigated.
He submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while having a meeting with him at the PM House, and later on, the premier accepted it.
According to a spokesperson from NADRA, the prime minister appreciated Malik’s work as chairman of NADRA and expressed the belief that he would continue to take part in the growth of the country in the future as well.
The premier also asked him to assist the government in increasing the tax net by using his experience.
Also Read: NADRA enhanced biometric verification.
Malik issued a statement after meeting with the Prime Minister in which he highlighted the number of progressive works initiated by him in NADRA.
He said that the United Nations had recently chosen him as the head of the technical advisory committee of the ‘National Human Development Report 2023’ to set the stage for the digital revolution in Pakistan.
He claimed that it was not only an honor for him to be assigned, but also an excellent opportunity to proceed with his mission.
Even after stepping down from his chairmanship, Malik will continue to provide his services in the fortification of the parliament in Pakistan by evolving the activities of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the UN platform.
Also, he would keep his aim to uplift the condition of unprivileged children in Pakistan through Zindagi Trust.
