A year before the end of his three-year term, Tariq Malik announced his resignation as chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Tuesday.
A year before the end of his three-year term, Tariq Malik announced his resignation as chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Tuesday.
He presented his resignation to the prime minister while they were in conversation.
The controversy over the disclosure of information about the family of an army chief, which prompted Mr. Malik to take action against some employees, occurred months before the resignation.
“Working in a charged and divisive political environment is getting harder for me. The three-page resignation stated that it is challenging for any professional to maintain his integrity and independence in a setting where political loyalty is prioritised over competence and where people are frequently pigeonholed according to a “us versus them” logic.
In his letter of resignation, Mr. Malik urged the government not to replace him with a current or former bureaucrat. Since NADRA cannot afford political experimentation, he thinks the organisation needs a specialist with management and technology experience.
Malik was chosen following a competitive selection process that involved over 100 applicants and multiple rounds of interviews, serving the country in a way that went far beyond party or institutional interests. He previously served as the UNDP’s chief technical adviser in New York, US, where he provided member states with advice on digital governance.
“In that role, I had the honour of closely observing and influencing the digitalization of many rich and poor countries, which was rooted in digital ID. At the World Bank, I also had the honour of helping to shape the international standards for digital ID.”
“Pakistan remained my first passion and top commitment as I carried out various international assignments. In this regard, I was happy to have had a small but meaningful role in helping an organisation that serves as the backbone of Pakistan’s development grow,” he said.
NADRA released a statement that read, “PM during the meeting appreciated the services of [Mr] Malik.” According to the official sources, the premier also asked him to use his knowledge to help the government expand the tax base.
At a press conference earlier in the day, the interior minister claimed that the resignation of the NADRA chairman had nothing to do with the problem of data leaks. He claimed that there was no pressure on him to step down and that everyone responsible for the data leak had already been dealt with.