The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday declared the blocking of computerized national identity cards (CNICs) in degree cases of family courts illegal.
In its eight-page verdict, which has been described as a judicial precedent, the court observed that a CNIC was a basic document, which could not be blocked under section 51 (e) of the CPC and that by blocking it, fundamental rights of a citizen were infringed upon. “The law does not permit the blocking of a national identity card,” the high court ruled.
Declaring the court order of blocking the petitioner’s CNIC null and void, it ordered the NADRA to immediately restore it.
Justice Muzzamil Akhtar Shabbir issued the verdict on the plea filed by Nasir Ali Ranjha.
