The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the federal government to hear in detail the petition of Afghan national Mumtaz Khan, who married a Pakistani woman, and decide on his request for Pakistani citizenship and protection from deportation.
Justice Inaam Amin Minhas ordered that Khan should not be deported until the government makes a proper decision after considering his complete stance.
The petitioner, a father of five minor children, argued that if he were sent back to Afghanistan, the future of his children, who hold Pakistani nationality and B-Forms, would be badly affected.
Represented by lawyers Azmat Ali Mubarak, Tahira Bano Mubarak, Uzma Mubarak, and Asghar Ali Mubarak, the petitioner requested the court to stop authorities from harassing him and to immediately issue him a Pakistani citizenship certificate. The counsel argued that despite submitting all required documents, the authorities failed to grant him citizenship in violation of the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 and the Constitution. They maintained that foreign nationals married to Pakistani citizens are entitled to Pakistani nationality, while his children's official documents already confirm their Pakistani status.
The court directed the government to treat Khan's petition as a formal representation, hear him properly, and decide accordingly.
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