ISLAMABAD – The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has submitted its fact-finding report to Prime Minister Secretariat on sexual harassment of female officer, Shaheen Bukhari, by Deputy Chairman Syed Muzaffar Ali Shah, The Nation has learnt.
The PM Secretariat had sought details from the Nadra chairman through a letter dated September 14 about the inquiry conducted against the authority’s top official in the workplace harassment case.
Well-placed sources at the PM Secretariat confirmed the Nadra has shared its fact-finding report with the PM Secretariat as well as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
According to the documents available with The Nation, FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle, Islamabad, through a letter dated June 2, 2017, forwarded a copy of the complaint from Syed Muhammad Zubair Shah Bukhari, maternal uncle of the female officer, with the request to conduct a fact-finding inquiry by fixing the responsibility against the delinquent persons.
Later, the Nadra chairman secretariat constituted a fact-finding board of the authority, comprising three senior director generals who held proceedings and called the deputy chairman and the complainant along with other witnesses. The inquiry board recorded the statements of the complainant and her maternal uncle who appeared as the prime witness. However, the accused Nadra deputy chairman did not appear before the inquiry board despite multiple reminders and questionnaire on the allegation levelled by complainant Syeda Bukhari.
Consequent upon the reminders and questionnaire, the Nadra deputy chairman threatened the board members with dire consequences if they pursued the sexual harassment case.
The fact-finding board probed the sexual harassment of Shaheen Bukhari, various inquiries against her for not yielding to the deputy chairman, forcing the female officer to submit her resignation and threatening her to refer an inquiry against her to the FIA.
The fact-finding board revealed in its report that Nadra Director Syed Qaboos Aziz was found to be a front man of the accused deputy chairman. Aziz visited Shaheen Bukhari’s residence several times and offered her immediate promotion, withdrawal of inquiries and lucrative job for her husband in the authority in return for taking back the harassment complaint against the deputy chairman.
Subsequently, in contravention of the rules and regulations, a letter of conversion of minor penalty of censure into exoneration was issued to her on June 23, 2017.
It is pertinent to mention that the Nadra deputy chairman has held multiple charges as DG HR, DG administration, DG data warehouse, DG legal and DG procurement. He issued an illegal letter and held inquiries by using his different portfolios and capacities.
According to the fact-finding report, the Nadra deputy chairman was found guilty of sexually harassing the female officer and used his office for intimidation, victimization and bogus inquiries.
The fact-finding board mentioned that the Nadra deputy chairman has been made an OSD and an inquiry ordered into the misuse of powers, particularly in relation to Shaheen Bukhari. However, the services of Syed Qaboos Aziz, the front man of the deputy chairman, have been terminated with immediate effect as per clause 13 of his employment contract, the fact-finding report said.
A spokesperson for the Nadra confirmed to The Nation that the authority has forwarded the inquiry report to PM’s Secretariat and the FIA.
