Pak court removes army general from key position

In a rare verdict, a Pakistani court on Friday ordered the removal of a serving general of the Pakistan Army from heading a key organisation, which regulates government databases and statistically manages the sensitive registration database of all citizens of the country, stating that his appointment to the position was “unauthorised” and in violation of the rules.

The Lahore High Court annulled the appointment of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) Chairman Lt Gen Munir Afsar on a petition filed by a citizen, Ashba Kamran.

In October 2023, Afsar became the first serving military officer to be appointed as Nadra’s chairman. In the petition, Kamran challenged that the appointment of Afsar was “in violation of the provisions of Nadra Ordinance, 2000” and it did not adhere “to the requirements of conducting a fair and competitive process for appointment by inviting potential aspirants”.

Justice Asim Hafiz in the verdict noted that the army general’s appointment was illegal.