The federal cabinet has given the green light for the appointment of an in-service army officer as permanent chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), the authority sources said yesterday.
Lt. Gen. Munir Afsar has been approved as the Nadra chairman for a tenure of three years. Additionally, the cabinet has endorsed the inclusion of a pertinent regulation concerning the appointment of an active-duty officer as the Nadra chairman, as per the sources.
Previously, the caretaker government had designated Lt. Gen. Munir Afsar as the Nadra chairman on October 3, 2023, until further directives.
Sources further revealed that the federal cabinet consented to the Interior Ministry’s circulated summary.
The appointment and accompanying regulations, originally made by the caretaker government, required validation by the newly elected government.
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According to the Election Act, appointments made under Section 230 are considered temporary, the sources emphasized.
Now, the federal government has approved the addition of Rule 7A to the Nadra Rules 2020. This rule allows for the appointment of an in-service officer as the chairman of the authority in the national interest, provided they hold a rank not lower than Grade 21, they added.
Lt. Gen. Munir Afsar is academically accomplished, holding an MPhil in Public Policy and National Security Management. He has authored a research paper on public policy responses within the GIS sector during the 2010 floods.
Additionally, General Afsar possesses an MS in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing. He received the prestigious Presidential Award for his thesis, which focused on the rapid creation of geographic data through photometry.
Furthermore, he completed an MS in National Resource Strategy, specializing in C&IT Industry and Supply Chain Management, at NDU, Washington, DC, where he was recognized as a distinguished graduate.
Source: The News