The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the Interior Ministry to process applications for citizenship based on the Muhajir Card as per relevant laws, while also instructing NADRA to address complaints regarding delays in issuing Pakistan Origin Cards.
A bench led by Justice Waqar Ahmad heard various petitions, including those filed by Afghan migrants who have been living in Pakistan for years and have been issued Pakistan Origin Cards (POCs) by the government.
The petitioners' lawyer, Saifullah Mohib Kaka Khel, argued that under Pakistani law, individuals who have resided in the country for four years are eligible for citizenship.
The court was informed that despite a clear law governing the grant of citizenship to foreigners, the authorities were not implementing it.
The bench disposed of the petitions, directing the Interior Ministry to process the applications under Section 3 of the Naturalization Act 1926.
In a separate petition, the court expressed concern over NADRA's failure to implement court orders. The counsel for the petitioners pointed to Nadra's alleged bias.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ