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SC directs NADRA to make policy to register Hindu couples

* SC issues notices to AG, provincial AGs on widow’s appeal
* CJP takes suo motu notice on 24-year-old’s murder by police official

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: A three-member bench of the Supreme Court on Monday directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to formulate a policy for the registration of Hindu couples according to their religious customs in order to provide them computerised national identity cards.

The bench consisting of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Tariq Parvez issued the directions after hearing a suo motu case regarding the problems the Hindu community in Pakistan faces for acquiring CNICs and passports.

The SC also asked the government to introduce legislation in this regard, if needed. The court adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.

Appearing on notice, the Rahim Yar Khan district police officer told the court that the Hindu couple, on whose application the suo motu notice had been taken, would soon get its CNICs, adding their other demands would be met after a policy had been devised.

Earlier on November 16, the court had directed the NADRA director general to submit a report on the non-issuance of CNICs to Hindus in Pakistan. The CJP had taken suo motu notice on the issue on a news report, which reflected the problems faced by a Hindu woman, Pram Sari Mai, wife of Goband Jee, a resident of Rahim Yar Khan, who could not get a passport for visiting India even after paying a large sum of money.

The report tried to identify problems faced by the Hindus for acquiring their CNICs and passports stating that Hindu couples could not get their marriages registered according to Hindu customs. It said they had to pay large sums of money to “grease palms” of officials concerned in order to get the documents.

CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday also directed his office to issue notices to the Attorney General of Pakistan as well as the provincial advocates general to appear before the Supreme Court on December 3 and explain why the pensions of deceased government employee had been reduced.

The CJP took suo motu notice on an appeal of a widow from Sheikhupura, who had claimed the government had halved the pension of her late husband.

The CJP also directed his office to treat the application as a petition under Article 184(3) of the constitution.

Separately, the CJP took suo motu notice on an appeal by a parent regarding the murder of his 24-year-old son Kashif by a police official. The CJP directed his office to put up the plea before the Bench-2 of the SC on November 24 and issue notices to the Punjab advocate general and inspector general (Police) to submit a report on the incident.

In another case, the CJP took suo motu notice on an appeal by parents regarding their son’s suicide after he was humiliated by his teachers. The CJP directed the Punjab IG (Police) to submit a report on the matter by November 26.

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