The Lahore High Court has instructed the immigration and passport department to finalize its consultative process and amend the rules within three months.
This amendment will allow women to retain their father’s name on their computerized national identity card (CNIC) and passport, regardless of their marital status.
Justice Asim Hafeez issued the order in response to a petition by Mehr Bano Langrial. She requested a declaration that a married woman has the right to keep her father’s name on her identity documents, such as the CNIC and passport, regardless of her marital status.
Additional Attorney General Mirza Nasar Ahmad informed the court that the federal government had no objection to the petitioner’s request. Immigration and Passport Additional Director Attaur Rehman mentioned that the consultative process is ongoing, and policy/rule changes are needed to allow women the option of retaining their father’s name on passports.
He added that updating the passport details and sharing them with foreign authorities will take time.
Under NADRA’s policy, a married woman can choose to keep her father’s name on her CNIC, regardless of her marital status. However, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passport requires married women to update their CNICs with their husbands’ names to apply for a passport.
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