In Islamabad, during a cabinet meeting chaired by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, a significant decision was made. Lieutenant General Munir Afsar, a serving three-star general in the Pakistan Army, has been appointed as the chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra. This marks the first time a serving three-star general has taken up this role.
The process leading to this appointment involved a selection committee that shortlisted three top candidates for the position. After thorough discussions, the cabinet decided to appoint Lieutenant General Munir Afsar to the post. Currently, he serves as the Inspector General of Communication and Information Technology at General Headquarters and comes from the 16 Punjab Regiment.
What’s interesting is Lieutenant General Afsar’s background. He holds an MPhil in Public Policy and National Security Management, and his expertise extends to IT-related technical development and management. He even contributed to public policy during the 2010 floods, focusing on Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Moreover, his qualifications include an MS in GIS and remote sensing, and he’s a distinguished graduate of the National Defense University in Washington, DC. He’s currently pursuing a PhD in Remote Sensing at NUST Islamabad, with research aimed at using remote sensing and artificial intelligence to detect plant diseases.
In addition to his academic achievements, Lieutenant General Afsar has an impressive track record in the field. He has served at the United Nations as a Military Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Officer and has worked on developing GIS applications for flood recovery. He has also held key positions like Director General of the DG Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Intelligence (C41) Directorate as a Major General, and after his promotion to Lieutenant General, he served as Inspector General of Communication and IT and Commander of Pakistan Army Cyber Command.