ISLAMABAD: Officials from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Ministry of Interior briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology on Monday regarding past data leaks and anomalies in Pakistani family trees.
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The meeting, held at Parliament House, included a briefing by the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad on the ongoing household survey conducted through the Household App. The official noted that fewer citizens are now providing data via self-enumeration, prompting plans to launch a “Door-to-Door” survey app to improve participation.
Interior ministry officials highlighted that NADRA’s database security has significantly improved compared to last year, with the new chairman introducing enhanced protective features. The committee was informed that previous audits revealed foreign nationals were included in Pakistani family trees; after thorough scrutiny, up to 80% of such entries have now been removed. Authorities emphasised that removing non-citizens from the database is critical to maintaining accurate population records, particularly in Islamabad.
Senator Afnanullah recalled that investigations into earlier data leaks had led to the dismissal of 15 NADRA officers, but noted that the measures taken were insufficient to fully address the damage. Officials assured the committee that extensive third-party audits have been conducted to verify the improved security of the system.
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The briefing underscored the importance of accurate citizen data, particularly given past incidents where information was reportedly sold on the dark web. NADRA’s chairman is expected to provide a more detailed presentation on data protection measures at the next committee meeting, including steps to safeguard sensitive citizen information and prevent future breaches.