Tuesday, June 19, 2018
By
GEO NEWS

NADRA denies data leakage accusation, says voter records 'completely safe'

By
GEO NEWS
|

ISLAMABAD:  The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Tuesday denied an accusation of a leakage of voters' data for the General Election 2018. 

In a letter to NADRA Chairman Usman Yousaf Mobin, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had alleged that NADRA officials had shared details of voters with “unrelated persons”.

During a press conference addressed by all four director-generals of NADRA today, the officials denied being associated with any political party. They further stressed that not even a single citizen's data was shared through any platform.

According to DG NADRA Zulfiqar Ali, an internal email was shown on television by a private channel. "The email was not linked to data leakage," he said.

Ali further said the press conference was not in response to a political statement by any party. "Ever since NADRA was established, data has not bee leaked," he said.

He further said that the authority is audited every year and has been praised by the Supreme Court. Ali stated that false accusations have been levelled near the election time in the past and it is being done now. 

A NADRA official had earlier today denied the data leakage accusation, reiterating the data of voters was 'completely safe.' They had stressed the possibility of sharing voters' data with unrelated persons did not exist. 

The official had further said NADRA had responded to the ECP about the accusation in an earlier meeting in the first week of June, adding that a verbal response had been given to ECP. 

ECP demands probe into matter 

In the accusation levelled against NADRA, the electoral body had said NADRA violated its agreement regarding the confidentiality of data. NADRA was not permitted to share data with anyone as per the agreement, ECP had asserted.

ECP had demanded that the NADRA chairman conduct an inquiry against those involved in the alleged data leak.

A NADRA spokesperson had however termed the allegations baseless and malicious. Moreover, it clarified that it had not provided any kind of data to any political party.

General elections are set to be held in the country on July 25.