The court said that the petitioner must cancel the PoR card before applying for citizenship as cancellation is mandatory

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has temporarily restrained the authorities from deporting an Afghan national, Bakhti Jan, to Afghanistan. The court directed the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Saffron) to decide on the petitioner’s request regarding his Proof of Registration (PoR) card within one month and ordered that he not be deported until a decision is taken.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition for Pakistani citizenship for the Afghan refugee and protection from deportation. The petitioner’s counsel claimed that applications had been submitted to the Ministry of Saffron and Nadra, but no decision had been taken yet.

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Justice Kayani observed that although the petitioner is an Afghan refugee, he has now learned that his parents are Pakistani. The court observed that the petitioner should first get his PoR card canceled and then apply for citizenship as cancellation of PoR card is mandatory to apply for Pakistani citizenship.

Accordingly, the court directed the Safron Ministry to decide the petitioner’s request for cancellation of the PoR card within one month and adjourned the hearing to next month.