Tariq Malik submitted his written resignation to prime minister Shehbaz Sharif today (Tuesday) afternoon during a meeting at the PM House. Malik was appointed as NADRA chairman in 2021, during the PTI government's tenure.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is probing allegations of his involvement in a corruption case. Due to the ongoing investigation, his name has also been put on the no fly list. It has been reported that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also initiated probes into Malik's activities.
Tariq Malik's previous tenure at NADRA
Tariq Malik had previously served as the deputy chairman NADRA and as the Chief Technical Advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The abrupt ending of Malik's tenure as NADRA chairman is not happening for the first time.
This happened after the 2013 general elections, when Tariq Malik publicly stated that NADRA was capable of biometric verification to identify bogus votes polled in different constituencies. This statement came after allegations of rigging by PTI chairman Imran Khan as well as his appeals to the courts.
Malik's statement annoyed the PML-N government led by the then PM Nawaz Sharif. He was removed from his office, but only to be reinstated by the Islamabad High Court in January 2014. After getting relief from the court, Tariq Malik resigned as NADRA chairman and went abroad, citing 'personal reasons' as well as threats and external pressure for leaving the country.
Latest appointment by former PM Imran Khan
Tariq Malik was again appointed as NADRA chairman by prime minister Imran Khan's PTI government in June 2021, and was the first person to be appointed to the position through a competitive process.
The PDM government, led by PM Shehbaz Sharif, was reportedly unhappy with Malik, and there was pressure on the latter to resign. On Tuesday, he submitted his three-page resignation letter to the premier.