The Lahore High Court is reviewing a petition that seeks to grant Pakistani citizenship to an Afghan man, Muhammad Naseem Ali Khail. The court has recommended the formation of a larger bench to address the request.

Justice Farooq Haider presided over a hearing regarding a case presented by Musarat Jabeen, who contends that Pakistani women marrying foreign nationals encounter unfair obstacles to obtaining citizenship, which she argues violates their constitutional rights.

Jabeen highlighted the inconsistency in the law, noting that while foreign men cannot claim Pakistani citizenship through marriage. Where else, in Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan states that all individuals are equal before the law. She urged that this principle should be applied consistently for both men and women.

She further said that according constitution of Pakistan’s Article 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan states that all citizens are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of the law.

The situation escalated when local police recently summoned him and subsequently arrested him without documentation on April 7, placing him in unlawful detention.

The petitioner was born in Pakistan and with family roots in the region of Afghanistan dating back before the partition of the subcontinent, was married on April 7, 2012, to Muhammad Naseem Ali Khail, an Afghan citizen residing in Daska, District Sialkot.

Naseem, who holds an Afghan Citizen Card, has been living in Pakistan for an extended period, running his own business. Their marriage was conducted in accordance with Islamic principles and was officially registered at Union Council 55 in Ghoenki, Tehsil Daska.

Copies of the Afghan Citizen Card and the marriage certificate, known as Nikah Nama, have been provided for reference.

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Musarat Jabeen and Naseem married on April 7, 2012, in accordance with Islamic law, with their union officially registered in Sialkot.

The couple has a son, Abdul Hadi, born on September 16, 2016, whose birth has also been recorded.

Despite Naseem’s application for Pakistani citizenship, authorities have reportedly denied his request without providing any reasons.