Six NADRA officials dismissed over data breach affecting 2.7 million citizens

Owing to a serious data breach (in March) compromising the information of 2.7 million Pakistani citizens, six NADRA officials, including one grade-19 officer, were recently dismissed, according to the NADRA Chairman in a recent National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior meeting. However, members of the Standing Committee expressed frustration over zero repercussions for key officials involved in the leak and were contrarily even promoted in some cases. During the meeting, NADRA Chairman Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz highlighted budget constraints faced by the agency in light of its expansion plans especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and investments in new vehicles and equipment. 87% of NADRA’s Rs. 57 billion budget is allocated to salaries, which leaves little to spend on expansion and innovation.