IHC restores Malik as NADRA chairman

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reinstated Tariq Malik as the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman and suspended the notification issued by the government for his removal.
A single-member bench, headed by Justice Noorul Haq, while accepting Malik’s petition has also suspended the notification regarding Brigadier (r) Zahid’s appointment as acting chairman NADRA. The court has issued notices to all the parties in this regard.
Earlier, Malik challenged the federal government’s decision to terminate his service contract six months ahead of its actual expiry. The petition was submitted by Babar Sattar on his behalf.
The petitioner said that Malik was removed from his post without any reason which was a serious matter. After arguments of the petitioner, the IHC has accepted the plea for the hearing and sent the issue to chief justice of IHC for forming a bench in this regard.
Earlier in the day, the government sacked Malik for ‘poor performance’.
The Interior Ministry had sent a summary regarding ‘poor performance’ and mismanagement in NADRA to the government.
The federal government voided Malik’s contract and sacked him.
Malik was the main figure in a recounting process in multiple constituencies, including NA-256 and NA-258 on the instructions of the Election Tribunal.
NADRA had revealed that magnetic ink was not used in both the constituencies.
The Election tribunal had also ordered Malik to start recounting in NA-118.
Analysts said the government has fear regarding the recounting process started in Punjab and this may be the reason the government has taken unprecedented action.
The federal government had removed Malik from his post without notifying any reasons and had appointed Sindh NADRA Director General Brigadier (r) Zahid as acting chairman.
Malik was scheduled to brief the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about recounting of votes on Tuesday. However, the federal government cancelled his contract and removed him from his post.
Sources said that there was a possibility that Malik would be removed for not accepting pressure of an influential person.
The Election Tribunal had directed the NADRA chairman to verify thumb impressions of voters of NA-118 Lahore where Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Riaz Hussain had been declared successful, while M Zaman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had challenged his victory.
Sources said that the influential person had pressed Malik to issue verified certificates of thumb impressions in accordance with his wishes.
But Malik had made it clear that his post demanded that he should issue verified certificates of thumb impressions by keeping in view all facts and with honesty and impartiality. The influential person had told him that he should be ready to quit the post.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that Malik was receiving life threats and his security had been tightened.