IHC reserves verdict in JUI-F leader’s citizenship revocation case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict in the citizenship revocation case of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah Saboor.

In October last year, the National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) NADRA had cancelled and digitally impounded Hamdullah’s computerised identity card (CNIC) on the grounds that he was not a citizen of Pakistan.

NADRA officials had earlier told the IHC that a security agency in its report issued on December 12, 2018, had declared Hamdullah an Afghan national. Then, in another report issued by the agency, it was stated that the JUI-F leader’s documents were bogus.

IHC Chief Justice Ather Minallah presided the hearing of the case and expressed severe displeasure over NADRA’s conduct in the matter.

“Did his son not pass out from the Pakistan Military Academy?” Justice Minallah inquired. “Can their citizenship be questioned? How can you revoke his citizenship? His properties are also here and he is a member of the parliament. This court will not allow the fundamental rights of citizens to be violated.”

The IHC chief justice also asked the NADRA counsel that under which law do they question the citizenship of people. The counsel replied that action was taken on a report from the [security] agencies whereas a show-cause notice was also issued under Section 18 of NADRA Ordinance 2000.

The court replied that "if the registrar of this court sends you something, will you revoke someone's citizenship"? The court added that NADRA was misusing its powers and had been told by the court that they have no such authority.

Hamdullah was issued a manual identity card in 1992 and then a CNIC in 2004. However, NADRA maintained that neither did it have the record of Hamdullah’s previous identity card, nor any information about his family background.

Hamdullah’s lawyer had also questioned the basis of NADRA’s move since the JUI-F leader had contested multiple elections and also served as a senator.