High Court Halts Deportation of Afghan Spouses Amid Citizenship Dispute

The Peshawar High Court blocked the deportation of 40 Afghan nationals married to Pakistani women. It emphasized the need for the National Database and Registration Authority to decide on these Afghans' citizenship applications. The ruling highlights the right to family life and the complex legal and bureaucratic challenges involved.

The Peshawar High Court has issued a stay order preventing the deportation of 40 Afghan nationals married to Pakistani women, pending a decision on their citizenship applications by Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

The court's decision arrives amid an ongoing campaign to repatriate undocumented Afghans in Pakistan, a process that has ramped up since April 2023. The ruling underscores the right to family life as enshrined in Pakistan's Constitution.

Law enforcement agencies had commenced deportations following the expiration of their Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) and Proof of Registration (POR) cards. The court's intervention highlights the urgency for NADRA to expedite decisions on Pakistan Origin Cards (POCs) for these Afghan spouses, ensuring the protection of families caught in legal limbo.