The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a high-profile case against Tariq Malik, former chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), along with 12 other senior officials. The case centers on alleged financial irregularities amounting to millions of dollars in NADRA’s smart card project.
The probe began after Transparency International filed a complaint highlighting suspicious procurement practices and financial mismanagement in the multi-billion-rupee smart ID card initiative. The FIR accuses the suspects of violating Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PEPRA) laws, leading to inflated payments to a favored company.
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Investigators uncovered evidence suggesting that NADRA paid well above market rates for smart cards, with the tender process manipulated to benefit a particular vendor. This scheme has reportedly caused significant losses to the national treasury.
The FIA’s case includes charges of criminal misconduct, abuse of authority, and deliberate misrepresentation in official procedures, signaling a major crackdown on corruption within key government institutions.