Islamabad: The National Database and Registration Authority has taken disciplinary measures against multiple officers. Currently, eight officers are suspended and facing charges, with more than a dozen anticipated to face penalties, as per a report on Thursday.
The publication reports that actions have commenced against Nadra staff members, which include three high-ranking officials from the organization’s senior management: Usman Cheema, Usman Javed (both serving as Director General Technical), Ahmarin Mir (Karachi DG Network), Faisal Ayub, Khair Mohammad Soomro, Rana Zulfiqar, Ali Mohiuddin, and Muhammad Ibad.
A Nadra representative confirmed the disciplinary action, stating it was based on a joint investigation team’s suggestions. Nonetheless, the official withheld the names of the involved individuals, citing data privacy concerns and ongoing legal processes.
Data breach unearthed
On Tuesday this week, disclosed a significant data breach incident where the private information of approximately 2.7 million Pakistani citizens was stolen from Nadra’s database. This concerning revelation was also validated by a collaborative investigation team. In their report submitted to the Ministry of Interior, the JIT revealed that the data theft occurred between the years 2019 and 2023.
The Federal Investigation Agency, led by Syed Waqaruddin, oversaw a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that included members from various sensitive organizations and Nadra’s nominees. As per the information received, the team concluded their investigation into the massive scandal involving the alleged hacking of Nadra’s database. Now, the officials at the ministry are carefully examining the report compiled by the JIT panel.
According to the sources, the JIT report has pinpointed that the data breach occurred at Nadra’s offices in Multan, Karachi, and Peshawar. Additionally, it suggested taking disciplinary measures against the higher-ups in the organization whose inattention contributed to this significant data theft.
Allegedly, the stolen data was first transferred from Multan to Peshawar, and then it made its way to Dubai, according to the sources. The JIT report reveals evidence suggesting that the stolen Nadra data was eventually sold in Argentina and Romania. This information came to light following a cybersecurity incident in March 2023, which led the government to establish the JIT.
