Alleged discrimination: SHC elicits comments on denial of passports to Hazaras

Bench issues notice to interior secretary, the federal investigation agency and others.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought comments from the federal government authorities over alleged denial of passports to the members of the Hazara tribe — a community that has repeatedly come under attack recently by the sectarian outfits.

Headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, the bench also issued notice to the interior secretary, immigration and passport department’s director-general and its provincial director and the federal investigation agency by February 4.

Syed Mehdi Hassan Moosa, the chief of the Hazara tribe in the country, had taken the interior and immigration authorities over alleged non-issuance of passport to his community men. He informed the judges that the community comprises about one million members, who are permanent citizens of Pakistan, and majority of them are settled in Karachi and Quetta.



“Since long the members of the Hazara tribe are facing great hardships, difficulties and intricacies for issuance of passports generally all over Pakistan, and especially in Karachi,” he said.

He alleged that the director of the immigration and passport department for Sindh and its subordinate staff were humiliating and debasing the people over lame excuses and red herrings to get illegal gratification by creating hurdles and impediments in issuance of their passports.

The petitioner pleaded to the court to declare refusal to issue CNICs and passports to the Hazara community members as illegal, unlawful and unjustified. He also sought direction for the interior ministry, and heads of the immigration and FIA to investigate into officers’ demands for gratification for issuance of the citizenship documents to the Hazaras and order them to provide these documents without any hindrance.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2014.