Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada on Friday informed the Senate that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in its ruling had directed the respondents to ensure consultative process for amending the passport policy for married and divorced women.
He was responding to the calling attention notice of Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) drawing the attention of the Interior Minister towards a statement of the Director General Passport and Immigration regarding the proposed amendment to introduce an ‘ex-husband category’ in the passport data for divorced women.
The minister read out the court’s decision, which stated that there was no reason “for adjudication of the question involved in the matter can conveniently be disposed of in the following term.
“It is expected that the respondent number 2 would complete the consultative process and remain logistically ready to make requisite amends in the formatting details of the passport giving options to the women to retain their father’s name or CNIC or passport within three months of the passing of this order.
“It is pertinent to observe that the government shall ensure synchronization of the record of NADRA (National Database Registration Authority), Passport and Immigration Department.” The minister said as per the court’s decision the matter raised by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri should be referred to the standing committee concerned to fulfill the consultative process. Senator Samina Zehri, on her calling attention notice, highlighted that mentioning the ex-husband’s name in the category of the passport to declare the parentage of a child borne by a divorcee woman was against the NADRA’s provision to retain the name of the father on her Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC). She claimed that the DG Passport’s statement was a sheer violation of the Constitution and discrimination towards women, who after divorce faced societal pressures.
“This policy is redundant, and against international norms and the global passport index, and should be withdrawn,” Ms Zehri said. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz said that women comprised half of the country’s population and the issues raised by Senator Zehri were pertinent. It was necessary to revisit family laws and the existing legislative amendment proposed by the Senator, he added.
He suggested that the House should take the lead as relying on courts for legislative matters would shrink its role in legislation.
The matter should be sent to the Committee for Interior with the recommendation to had detailed deliberations on the family laws, he added. Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, referring the matter to the committee, observed that all the stakeholders would be consulted on the issue. Senator Atta ur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-P) requested the chair that since the court decision was shared, the matter should be sent to the committee with the recommendation to take the Council of Islamic Ideology’s point of view on the matter.
