LHC rules family courts cannot order blocking of CNICs

WEB DESK: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that family courts cannot order the blocking of a citizen’s Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), declaring such powers beyond their jurisdiction.

In an eight-page written judgement issued by Justice Muzammil Akhtar Shabbir, the court set aside the decisions of the family court and the Gujrat Sessions Court, which had upheld the blocking of petitioner Nasir Ali Ranjha’s CNIC.

The judgement said a CNIC serves as proof of a citizen’s identity and that this right cannot be taken away. It further observed that the Supreme Court had already laid down directions regarding the blocking of national identity cards.

Maintenance case led to legal challenge

According to the judgement, the petitioner’s wife had approached the family court to enforce a maintenance decree in a case relating to financial support.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that the family court’s order to block the CNIC had been challenged before the Gujrat Sessions Court, but the appeal was dismissed. The counsel further submitted that the petitioner was outside Pakistan when he was summoned by the family court.

Allowing the petition, the Lahore High Court ruled that family courts do not have the legal authority to block CNICs and declared the impugned orders of the lower courts without lawful effect.