Citizenship cannot be revoked based on intelligence report: IHC.

The Islamabad High Court on Saturday ruled that the National Database and Registration Authority cannot block, suspend or cancel citizens' identity cards, adding that such a move would be considered a transgression on its part.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued a detailed 29-page judgment, ordering the restoration of identity cards of 10 citizens, including that of JUI-F's Senator Hafiz Hamdullah.

The CNICs of Abdul Rahim, Naik Mohammad, Mohammad Hanif and others were also restored in line with the court's directives.

In the detailed verdict, the IHC stated that NADRA does not have the power to deprive any Pakistani of his/her right to citizenship, adding that the authority's functions were only limited to registering citizens and maintaining the population's database. NADRA on its own cannot block, suspend or cancel an identity card, the verdict added.

Justice Minallah announced the decision on a petition filed by Hamdullah, who had challenged NADRA's decision. The authority had revoked his citizenship in October 2019, declaring him an 'alien'.

NADRA had claimed that Hamdullah had obtained a Pakistani ID card via fraud, adding that he was an Afghan citizen and was not born in Pakistan.

The JUI-F senator had rejected the allegations and said the decision was taken on political grounds against him.

'The matter of citizenship can be taken up only by the concerned authority under the Citizenship Act. A judicial order is required to suspend or block the...