Pakistani Court Reinstates Army General as NADRA Head
A Pakistani court reversed the order to remove a serving army general from leading the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The Lahore High Court set aside a previous decision that ousted Lt. Gen. Munir Afsar due to rule violations. The decision restores him to the civilian post.
- Country:
- Pakistan
A Pakistani court on Tuesday reversed a prior order which had removed a serving general of the Pakistan Army from heading the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), a civilian post.
NADRA is crucial for regulating government databases and managing the sensitive registration database of all Pakistani citizens.
A two-member bench at the Lahore High Court (LHC), consisting of Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal and Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad, overturned a single bench decision that had dismissed Lieutenant General Munir Afsar from his role as Chairman of NADRA, on grounds of appointment rule violations.
The current military-backed government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed several retired generals to key positions since coming to power last February. Lt. Gen. Afsar, appointed last October by the caretaker government, was later confirmed by the Shehbaz administration for a three-year term until 2027.
On Tuesday, the LHC bench agreed with the federal government's appeal, filed through the attorney general, which argued that the single bench ignored critical facts and legal frameworks in its decision.
The attorney general asserted that the federal government has the authority to amend rules under Section 44 of the Nadra Ordinance, 2000. Consequently, the court restored Lt. Gen. Afsar to his post, rescinding the earlier single bench verdict.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News