LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has restrained Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from presiding over the board meetings of the National Database and Regulatory Authority (NADRA) until further notice. The court has also restrained board’s Deputy Chairman Muzaffar Ali Khan, members Tariq Mehmood and Tariq Akbar from performing their duties. Advocate Owaisur Rehman had filed the petition. The petitioner said that the NADRA was an independent institution and the interior minister had no jurisdiction to preside over its board’s meeting. “NADRA ordinance does not allow interior minister to chair board meeting,” said the petition. According to media reports, Rehman went on to claim that interior minister was using NADRA for his “political purposes and influencing the authority by chairing its meetings”. The petitioner said that appointments at NADRA were being made in violation of rules and without any advertisement. LHC Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah remarked that counsel for government should tell the government that it should not run institutions illegally. “Let the government institutions run independently. No compromise will be made on the independence of the institutions,” said the chief justice. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for 10 days.