–NADRA DGs say there has never been a data breach in its history
ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Tuesday denied accusations of a leakage of voters’ data ahead of the General Election 2018.
NADRA was responding to a letter by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday, wherein it sought an explanation as to why a newspaper published details of electoral lists on 25th and 28th May without permission from the election body.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the four director generals of the authority asserted that the allegations of data leakage were baseless. “There has never been a data breach in the history of NADRA. We have never shared any citizen’s data with anyone,” said an official. He added that the ECP had also clarified that the letter did not hint at a security breach.
The ECP had written a letter to NADRA after the allegations made by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against NADRA chief Usman Yousaf Mobin for ‘influencing the polls’, by leaking voters’ information. The PTI, in a letter to the ECP last week, had demanded Mobin’s removal to ensure transparent polls.
Even though the commission had sought an explanation, it however rejected reports broadcasted on certain television channels that the commission was acting on PTI’s request.
The ECP had directed the NADRA chairman to conduct an inquiry against those responsible for the data leak.
In a statement on Sunday, NADRA maintained impartiality, saying it had not shared “sensitive information” with anyone. The authority dismissed the allegation of providing sensitive information to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ahead of general elections.
The allegations of corruption are fabricated and baseless, said the NADRA spokesperson, adding that the authority had a limited role in conducting elections.
“The organisation is only providing technical assistance to the ECP in accordance with the law and the Constitution,” the statement said.
On Sunday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan had reportedly decided to forward a petition to the ECP demanding removal of NADRA’s chairman.
PTI’s petition alleged that NADRA chief Usman Yousaf Mobin was appointed by the PML-N government and he provided data to the party in order to help the erstwhile ruling party in the upcoming elections. Mobin was reappointed in February at the post for a three-year period after his previous stint in power ended.