Senator Anusha Rehman accused the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Monday for selling thumbprints of citizens and misusing their personal data in elections.
During an Upper House session on the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill today, the lawmaker felt these issues should be addressed through the IT Ministry’s proposed Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, which seeks to regulate data management and keep government entities like NADRA under scrutiny.
IT Secretary and other ministry officials stated that the data protection bill was in the last stage of consultation with all relevant departments. It would be presented for legislative approval once the consultation was over. In spite of ministry assurances, the chair of the committee raised concern regarding the absence of the finalized bill. The panel also felt that such a bill would go a long way toward curing the malaise of data security concerning entities like NADRA and keeping it in check.
It is worth mentioning that just last week the IT ministry opposed the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, which has been given as a Private Member’s Bill (PMB) by Senator Afnan Ullah.
The ministry maintained that the bill violates legislative policy, goes astray from the constitutional framework, and does not satisfy procedural and consultative requirements. The reply further pointed out a violation of Article 74 of the Constitution, which mandates that any bill involving federal expenditure or withdrawals from the Federal Consolidated Fund may only be presented with the consent of the Federal Government.
