Pak's top court suspends high court's decision that granted Pakistani citizenship to Afghan men

The Supreme Court on Thursday suspended a high court's decision that granted Pakistani citizenship to Afghan men based on their marriage to Pakistani women.

The ruling by a three-member apex court bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed came during the hearing of a case regarding the issuance of the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) to Afghan citizens.

Additional Attorney General Rana Asadullah informed the top court that the government had filed an appeal against the Peshawar High Court’s December 1, 2023, verdict, which had ruled that Afghan nationals married to Pakistani women were entitled to both POC and Pakistani citizenship.

The government has raised objections concerning the citizenship provision.

Justice Musarrat Hilali inquired about the grounds on which citizenship could be granted and the number of applicants.

Asadullah replied that there were 117 applicants in total, to which Justice Hilali remarked that these were only those who had come forward.

The counsel for NADRA (National Database & Registration Authority) informed the court that a valid visa was also a prerequisite for Afghan nationals marrying Pakistani women.

At this, Justice Hilali observed that it was important to determine whether a person had entered the country “by climbing over the wall or through the gate.'' Subsequently, the bench suspended the Peshawar High Court's decision, issued notices to all parties concerned, and adjourned the hearing.