Lahore High Court Recommends Larger Bench in Citizenship Case of Afghan Spouse

Report by Muhammad Furqan

The Lahore High Court has recommended the formation of a larger bench to hear a case concerning the citizenship rights of an Afghan national married to a Pakistani woman.

Justice Farooq Haider presided over the hearing on the petition filed by Musarrat Jabeen, a Pakistani citizen, who sought Pakistani citizenship for her Afghan husband, Naseem, whom she married in 2012.

The case, which challenges the provisions of the Citizenship Act of 1951, was brought forward due to legal complexities surrounding the naturalization of foreign spouses in Pakistan.

During the hearing, the court recognized the constitutional significance of the matter and proposed that a larger bench should deliberate on the legal and humanitarian aspects involved in granting nationality to foreign spouses of Pakistani citizens.

The decision to escalate the case underscores the increasing importance of addressing cross-border marital rights, especially in regions with closely intertwined populations like Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The court’s recommendation paves the way for a broader judicial interpretation of citizenship laws as they apply to foreign spouses, potentially setting a precedent for similar cases in the future.