PESHAWAR: A high court in Pakistan has ruled that Pakistani woman married to Afghan nationals were entitled to hold dual nationality despite possessing the Afghan Citizens Card (ACC) or Proof of Registration (PoR), with a lawyer representing petitioners describing the ruling as a “landmark” development.
A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), comprising Justice Arshad Ali and Justice Wiqar Ahmad, issued the 62-page judgment, deciding 65 petitions on issues surrounding Pakistani citizenship filed by individuals who either had ACC or PoR cards, married an Afghan national or had children born to Pakistani-Afghan parents.
The decision, announced on July 9, came after a number of Pakistani and Afghan nationals filed petitions in the high court to seek relief following last year’s directives by the Pakistani government for all illegal foreigners to leave the country by November 2023 or face arrest.
“This is a landmark decision of the Peshawar High Court as several individuals were suffering for years. This is not an issue of these 65 individuals but thousands of individuals who have been suffering over some time now,” Nouman Muhib Kakakhel, one of the lawyers who represented the petitioners, told Arab News on Sunday.
“Pakistan didn’t have any dual nationality law with Afghanistan. This decision will pave the way for many to address their issues in the court.”
The verdict divided the case into four categories, including children born to Pakistani and Afghan parents with ACC or PoR cards issued in their name, Pakistanis holding an ACC who claim dual citizenship, Afghans married to Pakistani nationals seeking PoR or citizenship, and individuals who were Pakistani but were mistakenly declared Afghan and issued ACC cards.
“The situation that emerges from this analysis invariably leads one to a conclusion that a female Pakistani citizen who marries an Afghan citizen can retain dual nationality. Similarly, children born out of such wedlock can also retain their dual nationality of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan till attaining the age of 21 years,” the verdict read.
“They cannot be denied citizenship status as citizens of Pakistan for the reason that they are ACC or PoR holders. Their entry can co-exist, as such in NADRA database as well as in other databases of the government of Pakistan. Their CNICs [computerized national identity cards], if issued already, couldn’t be blocked for the reason that names of such persons have been found in the data of Afghan Citizenship or they have been found to be holders of PoRs.”
About such children, the court ruled that they would be “entitled to citizenship of Pakistan by issuance of Form B, notwithstanding the fact that they have been entered [as] ACC or PoR holders.”
The court ruled that the applications of Pakistani nationals, who had acquired ACC and PoR cards, would be “processed and decided swiftly by realizing that certain citizens of the state are also suffering and their grievances require to be remedied quickly.”
Hayat Roghani, a human rights activist, the verdict would encourage many Afghans and Pakistanis, who had been facing similar issues, to go to a court for relief.
“The Afghan refugees have lived together with Pakistani Pashtuns and have relations with each other,” he said. “The last year’s order of the Pakistan government to expel undocumented foreign nationals to their countries intensified the problems of Pakistanis too.”
Roghani noted that Pakistani Pashtuns and Afghan refugees had shared businesses and married each other, but the directives to expel foreign nationals made things difficult for them both.
“The decision of the Peshawar High Court is a precedent and many others will benefit from it in the future,” he added.
Pakistani women married to Afghan nationals entitled to dual nationality, court rules
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Pakistani women married to Afghan nationals entitled to dual nationality, court rules
- Peshawar High Court issued the verdict on 65 petitions filed by individuals who had Afghan citizenship, married Afghan nationals or had children with them
- The petitioners moved the court after last year’s directives by Islamabad for all illegal foreigners to leave the country by November 2023 or face arrest
Bangladesh coach says seniors helping team focus on Pakistan series despite turmoil
- Bangladesh will play two Test matches against Pakistan cricket team starting Aug. 21
- Political unrest in Bangladesh forced ex-PM Hasina this month to resign, flee country
ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed said the senior cricketers, including former lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan, are helping the team to focus on the test series against Pakistan after political turmoil at home disrupted preparations.
“All the players are very mature and are very excited,” Mushtaq told reporters in Lahore on Thursday. “Management is very good with the players and seniors like Shakib are playing a positive role by talking with the young guys.”
The Bangladesh squad flew into Lahore on Tuesday, four days ahead of schedule, after training was disrupted by protests back home that forced Prime Minister Hasina Wajid to resign and parliament to be dissolved.
The Pakistan Cricket Board made special arrangements for Bangladesh to have an additional three days of training in Lahore ahead of the first test in Rawalpindi next Wednesday. Karachi will host the second match on Aug. 30.
“All the stakeholders in Bangladesh appreciate the PCB’s gesture,” Mushtaq said. “This is a great relationship between PCB and Bangladesh, and cricket will get stronger.”
Shakib was among the lawmakers in Hasina’s government. The all-rounder was selected for the series in Pakistan and was playing in a T20 league in Canada when Hasina resigned earlier this month.
Mushtaq also picked out Mushfiqur Rahim, who missed the last home test series against Sri Lanka, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed as senior squad members who are playing a positive role in helping team-mates to focus on the tests.
“They are all playing good positive roles,” Mushtaq said. “They are focusing on cricket now and everything is fine. I give credit to the team management.”
Mushtaq was appointed spin bowling coach in April ahead of the T20 World Cup, which was jointly hosted by the United States and the West Indies.
US official Natalie Baker takes charge as deputy chief of mission to Pakistan
- Baker has previously served as deputy chief of mission at American embassy in Doha, says US embassy in islamabad
- Once close allies, ties between Pakistan and US have been tested by divergent priorities on various issues
KARACHI: Seasoned US diplomat Natalie Baker has assumed charge of the key post of deputy chief of mission to Pakistan, the American embassy in Islamabad announced on Thursday amid strained ties between the two countries who were once close allies.
Pakistan and the US cultivated strong defense ties during the Cold War days, yet their relationship was also tested by divergent priorities on various issues. However, more recent times have seen tensions escalate, particularly after 9/11, when US officials criticized Pakistan for not sufficiently supporting the American military efforts against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
While Islamabad and Washington enjoyed close cooperation during the so-called “War on Terror,” the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan strained relations between the two countries as Washington suspected Pakistan of sheltering Taliban fighters, a charge Islamabad strongly denied.
The perception of US interference in Pakistani politics has also been a contentious issue between the two countries, highlighted by former prime minister Imran Khan’s allegations that Washington orchestrated his ouster in April 2022, a claim the US authorities have denied.
“The US Mission to Pakistan welcomes the arrival of Deputy Chief of Mission Natalie A. Baker,” a statement from the US embassy in Islamabad said.
“Prior to assuming the duties of Deputy Chief of Mission at US Embassy Islamabad, Natalie served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Doha, Qatar. “
Baker has also served as the US deputy chief and charge d’Affaires of the US Mission to Libya, deputy director of the Iran Regional Presence Office at the US Consulate in Dubai and as economic counselor at the US Embassy in Kuwait.
“Natalie’s previous other assignments included Special Assistant in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Consular Officer in Islamabad, Pakistan, and Cultural Officer in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan,” the US Embassy said.
Baker also holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. She is a 2017 Distinguished Graduate of the National War College, National Defense University of the United States of America.
Pakistan reports first suspected Mpox case after WHO declares it global emergency
- A person who recently arrived from Gulf country suspected of carrying Mpox disease, says health ministry
- Pakistan has put airports on alert after WHO described Mpox outbreak in Africa as global health emergency
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s health ministry reported the country’s first suspected case of infectious disease Mpox of the year on Thursday, a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) described it as a global health emergency of international concern following an outbreak of its new variant in some African countries.
The Mpox virus is primarily found in Central and West Africa, where it is transmitted from animals, such as rodents and primates, to humans. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with body fluids, respiratory droplets or contaminated materials like bedding. The disease is characterized by fever, swollen lymph nodes and a distinctive rash.
Pakistani authorities said on Thursday they have put airports on alert and strengthened screening systems at various entry points out of the country following the WHO’s warning.
“A suspected case of Mpox has been reported in [person arriving from] a Gulf country in Pakistan which has been sent to the National Institute of Health for verification,” the spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ministry of Health said in a statement.
It said that the NIH would issue a report after evaluating the case. The ministry added that the NIH had issued a health advisory regarding precautions against the disease. It pointed out that so far 99,518 cases and 208 deaths from the infection have been reported from 122 countries around the world.
Pakistan has held the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) meeting to evaluate the situation and take precautionary steps.
The NCOC was established in March 2020 and worked as the principal body to coordinate and implement the country’s national response to COVID-19 by collecting, analyzing and disseminating data.
It also coordinated efforts between federal and provincial governments and made critical decisions regarding health measures, lockdowns, vaccination campaigns and public communication.
Seven militants killed as Pakistan army steps up operations amid militancy spike
- Intelligence-based operation took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, says army
- Pakistan Army says security forces determined to eliminate menace of “terrorism” from country
ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed seven militants and wounded five during an intelligence-based operation in northwestern Pakistan, the army’s media wing said on Thursday, vowing that the military would wipe out “terrorism” from the South Asian country.
Pakistan’s security forces have stepped up operations against militants in the country’s tribal districts bordering Afghanistan in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in recent months.
The exchange of fire between security forces and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban militants took place in KP’s Kurram district on Aug. 15, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
“On August 15, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Kurram district on the reported presence of Khwarij,” the army’s media wing said, referring to the TTP for which it has recently started using the term “Fitna Al Khwarij.”
“During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the Khwarij’s location as a result of which seven Khwarij of Fitna Al Khwarij were sent to hell while five of them got injured.”
A large number of weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the militants, the army said, highlighting that the slain “terrorists” were actively involved in militant activities against security forces and civilians.
“A sanitization operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area,” the army concluded.
The development takes place a day after the army said four soldiers and six militants were killed during a gunbattle in northwestern Pakistan earlier this week. The exchange of fire between security forces and TTP militants took place in the South Waziristan district of the KP province on the night of August 12.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant activities since the TTP unilaterally called off a fragile ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
Much of the TTP’s militant activity has been confined to the country’s western provinces, prompting security officials to launch intelligence-based operations against its fighters who are reportedly armed with sophisticated military equipment, including night vision devices.
The surge in attacks has also dealt a blow to Pakistan’s ties with Afghanistan, whom Islamabad accuses of providing sanctuary to militants. Kabu denies the allegations and says militant groups do not use Afghan soil to launch attacks against any country.
Pakistan this year launched aerial strikes against what it said were militant groups in Afghanistan, drawing a sharp reaction from the Taliban government. Islamabad has warned Kabul it will carry out cross-border action against militants to protect its citizens.
ADM Group to invest $250 million in manufacture of electric vehicles in Pakistan
- Pakistan’s urban areas exhibit some of the world’s highest levels of air pollution primarily due to vehicle emissions
- Charging network stations to be established during first phase of project, manufacturing of vehicles in second
ISLAMABAD: Investment company ADM Group has announced it would invest up to $250 million for the manufacturing of electric vehicles in Pakistan, state-run media reported on Thursday, in a move likely to boost technological advancements in the country’s automobile industry and curtail pollution.
Pakistan’s urban areas exhibit some of the world’s highest levels of air pollution, primarily due to sub-2.5 μm particulate emissions. This issue significantly impairs both the country’s economy and the quality of life of its residents. Road transport is a significant contributor to air pollution as around 23 percent of Pakistan’s greenhouse gas emissions originate from vehicles.
Pakistan approved an ambitious National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019 with the goal of electric vehicles comprising 30 percent of all passenger vehicles and heavy-duty truck sales by 2030, and an even more ambitious target of 90 percent by 2040.
“ADM Group has announced an investment of 250 million dollars for the manufacturing of electric vehicles in Pakistan,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said in a report.
It said the understanding was reached during a meeting between the Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain and ADM Group Chief Executive Officer Yasir Bhambhani in Islamabad on Thursday.
Bhambhani briefed Hussain that charging network stations would be established in the first phase of the project while electric vehicle manufacturing would commence in the second one. An electric vehicle will be able to cover a distance of 300km on one charge, state media reported.
“EVs are being promoted on numerous fronts, including through new federal and provincial policies and by public commitments from automakers to convert their fleets to EVs,” ADM’s website quoting Bhambhani said.
“However, there are still some fundamental issues that could affect the widespread adoption of EVs, including the absence of EV infrastructure in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, Minister Hussain assured the government would provide all possible facilities to attract foreign direct investment in Pakistan, saying that electric vehicles were now a reality.
ADM Group said on its website that electric car markets were seeing “exponential growth” in Pakistan as sales exceeded 10 million in 2022.
“A total of 14 percent of all new cars sold were electric in 2022, up from around 9 percent in 2021 and less than 5 percent in 2020,” the group said.
It said over 2.3 million electric cars were sold in Pakistan during the first quarter of 2023, about 25 percent more than in the same period last year.
