LHC sets aside single-bench order to remove NADRA chairman
Pakistan
Petitioner contended to declare appointment of serving military officer as NADRA chairman
LAHORE (Muhammad Ashfaq) - The Lahore High Court on Wednesday accepted the federal government’s appeal, setting aside the single-bench verdict that had ordered the removal of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman.
A two-member bench, led by Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, delivered the verdict.
On September 6 last year, the Lahore High Court declared the appointment of Lieutenant General Munir Afsar as NADRA chairman null and void. The federal government had subsequently challenged the single-bench ruling.
The federal government, in its plea, contended that the single bench had issued its ruling in contradiction to the fact. The government’s counsel informed the court that the petition had initially challenged only the notification issued by the caretaker government regarding the appointment.
The counsel further stated that the petition remained restricted to the caretaker government’s notification and never contested the newly introduced rules. He urged the court to overturn the single-bench decision that had removed Lieutenant General Munir Afsar from his position as NADRA chairman.
On the other hand, the petitioner, Ashba Kamran, had contended that the caretaker government had amended NADRA regulations to facilitate the appointment of a serving military officer. She argued that the caretaker administration had no authority to interfere in permanent policy matters.
The petitioner had requested the court to nullify the amended NADRA rules and declare the appointment of a serving military officer as NADRA chairman illegal.
The caretaker government had appointed Lieutenant General Munir Afsar—then serving as IG Communication and IT at the GHQ—as the chairman of the NADRA.
