PHC halts deportation, CNIC cancellation of Bajaur residents

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued a stay order against the cancellation of computerized national identity cards (CNICs) and deportation orders issued by the Bajaur district administration against Pakistani citizens.

A division bench comprising Justice Wiqar Ahmad and Justice Khurshid Iqbal sought replies from the relevant authorities, including the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), the Ministry of Interior, the additional assistant commissioner, and the additional deputy commissioner of Bajaur. The stay order came during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Syed Qasim and others through Saif Mohib Kakakhel Advocate.

The petitioners argued that they were Pakistani citizens by birth and had valid records of national identity cards and ancestral property in Pakistan, belonging to their fathers and grandfathers. The petitioners’ counsel contended that revenue officials, including the assistant commissioner and additional deputy commissioner, exceeded their jurisdiction by relying on “ration passes” - documents originally issued to Afghan refugees and underprivileged communities for food distribution - to wrongly declare the petitioners as foreigners.

The court was informed that instead of resolving a property dispute on merit, the officials labeled the petitioners as non-citizens and referred the matter to Nadra and the Ministry of Interior, recommending the cancellation of their CNICs and their deportation from the country. The lawyer stressed that revenue officers had no authority to determine an individual’s citizenship status, as their mandate was limited to resolving land disputes. He requested the court to nullify the actions taken by the officials.

The bench restrained the authorities from taking any adverse action against the petitioners until further notice and sought formal responses from the relevant departments.