Senators have taken up the issue of recruiting armed forces personnel to work at the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA). During a Senate debate this week, lawmakers asked for specific details, led by Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI).
Senator Ahmed stated:
“I had questioned how many people are on deputation in Nadra and how many retired armed forces personnel are working in NADRA.”
Expressing dissatisfaction with the response given so far, the Senator explained:
“According to my perception and information, a great number of retired armed forces personnel have again been employed in NADRA despite unemployment increasing in Pakistan and no jobs for our large number of graduates from educational institutions.”
In the view of the JI Senator, giving these positions to already retired personnel was “an injustice with the youth.”
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan has so far responded that six people, who are not retired from the military, are on deputation in NADRA.
At this point, the PML-N’s Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar reframed the question, asking for precise details of how many retired army officers are employed, dates of appointment, responsibilities and whether their qualifications fit the requirements.
Tarar added that he had seen in a media report “that close to two dozen directors and deputy directors,” who were “all retired army officers” had been given jobs at NADRA within one day.
Federal minister Ali Muhammad Khan said that this was a “very good question” which would receive a detailed response. He, however, claimed that no special consideration was being given to anyone and that these positions had been given out according to NADRA’s requirements.
