Philippine woman urges court to stay her deportation

Says she wants to live with her husband in Pakistan; IHC issues notices to interior ministry, FIA

ISLAMABAD: A Philippine national, who embraced Islam and married a Pakistani national a few months ago, has approached the Islamabad High Court seeking a restraining order against her deportation from the country.

She has also urged the court to issue directions for the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) to issue her with a Pakistan Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC).

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), while hearing the petition, issued notices to the ministry of interior, director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and NADRA to submit a reply in the case.

Marium Bibi, who is currently living in the capital, said that she is from the Philippines and had travelled to Pakistan on a valid visa.

Her counsel said that she had married Pakistani national Imran Khan on June 24. Their marriage had been registered at the local Union Council. He added that the petitioner had embraced Islam and obtained a certificate from a Mufti in this regard.

In addition, the counsel argued that the petitioner wished to adopt Pakistan’s citizenship. In this regard, she had approached the respondents for naturalisation and had started to prepare the necessary documents.

However, the respondents were adamant on deporting her “for no reason” without caring for the wedlock policy apart from depriving her of her fundamental rights.

In the petition, the counsel argued that it was Marium’s fundamental right to live in Pakistan with her legal husband. He urged the court to direct the respondents to not deport her and issue her a CNIC.

In the prayer, she has sought protection against illegal harassment, humiliation and pressure by the state functionaries in deporting her.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2017.