LAHORE: A division bench of Lahore High Court today overturned a single-member bench’s order to remove a serving general from the post of chairman National Database and Registration Authority Islamabad.
When a two-member bench of the high court took up the appeal against the removal of Lieutenant General Munir Afsar today, the government prosecutor appeared before the court.
The court asked which notification of the government about the appointment of the NADRA chairman had been challenged. The court was informed that the notification issued by the caretaker government had been challenged by a petitioner.
The court was informed that the caretaker government had appointed the general for three months and later the elected government of the Pakistan Muslim League confirmed his appointment for three years.
After hearing the arguments of the government lawyer, the court nullified the single-member bench’s order to remove the NADRA chairman from his post.
The Lahore High Court had on Friday ordered the government to remove the general from the post of chairman NADRA.
Lt Gen Muhammad Munir Ofsar was appointed by the caretaker government on a temporary basis on October 2, 2023. However, the PML-led government this year confirmed the appointment for three years.
The federal cabinet allowed the appointment under Rule 7-A of NADRA Rules 2020 under which any serving government officer in grade 21 or above can be appointed as NADRA chairman in public interest.
A citizen had challenged the appointment in the high court. The petitioner stated that the caretaker government had amended the NADRA law to appoint a serving general as the chairman of the authority. The petition said that the caretaker government had, under the law, no power to amend a law for a policy decision.
The petitioner had requested the court to declare the changes to the law and the subsequent appointment of the general as the NADRA chairman.
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