Civil courts cannot order CNIC blocking, LHC rules

In a ruling on a petition filed by citizen Ali Ansari, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has declared that civil courts do not have the authority to order the blocking or cancellation of a citizen's Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC).

Justice Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh issued a detailed seven-page judgment, setting aside a civil court's decision that had led to the blocking of the petitioner's CNIC. The court termed the action illegal and directed that the CNIC be restored within 15 days.

In its judgment, the high court held that matters relating to CNICs fall outside the jurisdiction of civil courts.

It emphasised that a CNIC is not a form of property but a fundamental proof of a citizen's identity, which cannot be treated as transferable or inheritable.

The court further observed that CNICs are issued and regulated exclusively by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), which operates under federal authority. It clarified that every individual must independently register with NADRA to establish their identity.

Referring to NADRA regulations, the court noted that citizens are required to obtain a CNIC upon reaching the age of 18, while parents are responsible for registering their children at birth if they are under 18.