(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) The Peshawar High Court has mandated that Afghan individuals involved in marriages with Pakistani citizens must be granted a permit in Pakistan, with their children receiving Form B and identity cards.
Responding to a petition filed by ten Afghan and Pakistani couples, the two-member bench, comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Atiq Shah, issued the directive on Tuesday, instructing NADRA to process the necessary documents according to the NADRA Rules of 2002.
Expressing joy over the decision, Afghan citizens married in Pakistan welcomed the ruling, anticipating relief from incidents of police harassment.
Senior Advocate Mumtaz Ahmed, who represented the petitioners, revealed that the group included nine couples with Afghan wives and one couple with a Pakistani wife married to an Afghan citizen.
Mumtaz Ahmad explained,“The court has ordered that Afghan citizens married to Pakistani nationals, or Pakistani citizens married to Afghan nationals, should receive a POR card for the Afghan spouse and Form B for their children born in Pakistan, along with identity cards.”
Also Read: Protest Erupts Against Violence on Elderly Woman in Khyber Bara; Sit-In Resolved After Negotiations
Highlighting the broader implications, he clarified,“This order applies not only to Afghan nationals but, by NADRA rules, extends to any foreign national married to a Pakistani citizen, excluding those from enemy countries with India explicitly not mentioned in the law.”
The decision builds upon previous court rulings, such as in October 2023, when the Peshawar High Court directed the Ministry of Interior to grant citizenship to the Afghan spouse of Pakistani woman Zeenat Begum. Another ruling in October 2022, prompted by Pakistani woman Samina Roohi's request, affirmed the entitlement of her Afghan husband, Naseer Muhammad, to Pakistani citizenship, urging the issuance of a Pakistan Origin Card.
One petitioner, Jameel-ur-Rehman, an Afghan citizen born in Pakistan through marriage to a Pakistani woman, shared his relief, stating,“I am very happy today with the court's decision. We will now be entitled to Pakistani citizenship cards, and we anticipate fewer problems.”
He emphasized that the court's decision would enable them to engage in business, enjoy unrestricted movement like Pakistani citizens, and ensure their children receive birth certificates, Form B, and identity cards.
Jameel-ur-Rehman expressed hope that, with the court's decision, they would be treated on par with Pakistani citizens, eliminating past difficulties faced upon the expiration of POR cards.
MENAFN21022024000189011041ID1107882450
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.