The Government of Pakistan has issued an official notification appointing several prominent scholars and experts as members of the National Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen Wa Khatamun Nabiyyin Authority (NRKNA) for a three-year term. The appointments were made in pursuance of directives from the Prime Minister’s Office and under the powers conferred by Section 6(4) of the NRKNA Act, 2022.
Among the newly appointed members is Prof. Dr. Farkhunda Zia, former Member of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Islamabad, who tragically passed away in June this year. Despite her demise, her name appears in the notification as Member-IV, tasked with “Research in Seerat & religion,” raising questions about procedural oversight within the appointment process.
The other members named in the notification include Dr. Syed Aziz ur Rahman (Seerat Scholar), Dr. Farooq Adil (Media Affairs), Mr. Zafar Mahmood Malik (Special Initiatives), Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi (Curricula), and Dr. Qibla Ayaz (International Outreach and countering Islamophobia).
The notification specifies that these appointments are honorary and will take effect immediately, with the tenure set for three years. The matter of Dr. Farkhunda Zia’s posthumous appointment is expected to spark discussion regarding administrative accuracy in official postings.
