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Official Citation: 2026 SHC 1427
Court / Jurisdiction: Sindh High Court
Petitioner: Const. P. 1616/2026 (D.B.) Sindh High Court, Karachi - Mehar Muhammad Aslam (Petitioner)
Ruling Summary: This decision was rendered by the Sindh High Court, officially reported as 2026 SHC 1427. In this matter between Const. P. 1616/2026 (D.B.) Sindh High Court, Karachi - Mehar Muhammad Aslam (Petitioner) and the Respondent, the court adjudicated key questions of statutory construction, procedural regularity, and legal precedent under Pakistani law.
Core Holding: The honorable bench evaluated governing statutory provisions and judicial authorities to establish the rights of the parties, delivering the binding reasoning set out below.
COURT: Sindh High Court CASE NO: Const. P. 1616/2026 (D.B.) Sindh High Court, Karachi CITATION: 2026 SHC KHI 1427 PARTIES: Mehar Muhammad Aslam (Petitioner) ORDER DATE: 10-JUL-26 BENCH: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon(Author), Hon'ble Mr. Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry A.F.R: Yes ------------------------------------------------------------ 1
ORDER SHEET
IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH AT KARACHI
C.P. No. D-1616 of 2026 (Mehar Muhammad Aslam v Federation of Pakistan & others)
Date Order with signature of Judge(s) Before:- Mr. Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon Mr. Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhary
Date of hearing and order:-10.07.2026
Mr. Hussain Bux Baloch, Advocate for the Petitioner. Ms. Mehreen Ibrahim DAG Nemo for NADRA ********** O R D E R Adnan-ul-Karim Memon, J Petitioner Mehar Muhammad Aslam has filed this petition under Article 199 of the Constitution for seeking direction to the Respondent authorities to unblock his CNIC No. 42201-3581910-3. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is a law -abiding citizen of Pakistan, engaged in business, regularly paying taxes and maintaining a respectable life without any allegation or stigma against his character. He contends that the petitioner’s CNIC No. 42201 -3581910-3 was issued by NADRA in acco rdance with law, based on which all his official documents, including bank accounts and passport, were prepared. Learned counsel further submits that the petitioner was shocked to discover that his CNIC had been blocked by the respondent/NADRA without issu ing any notice or providing an opportunity of hearing. He argues that such action is illegal, arbitrary and without lawful authority, causing serious hardship to the petitioner and affecting his fundamental rights, particularly his right to be dealt with i n accordance with law under Article 4 and protection of dignity under Article 14 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. It is contended that the petitioner has no knowledge regarding the reasons for blockage of his CNIC; however, he is willing to face any legal proceedings, if required, subject to restoration of his CNIC. Learned counsel submits that due to the impugned action of the respondents, the petitioner is unable to properly conduct his business and manage his daily affairs. He, therefore, prays that the respondents may be directed to unblock CNIC No. 42201-3581910-3 of the petitioner. 3. Learned DAG referred to the statement of NADRA and submitted that, based on the report of V& R Branch RHO NADRA Karachi, the CNIC of the petitioner, Mehar Muhammad Aslam, has been digitally impounded/blocked pursuant to the order passed by the learned IIIrd Civil Judge & J.M., Karachi South in FIR No.277/2012. It was further submitted that de -blockage of the said CNIC can only be made upon issuance of an appropriate order by the same Court. She prays to dismiss the petition.
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4. We have heard the learned counsel for the parties present in court and perused the record with their assistance. 5. We h ave notice d that the CNIC of the petitioner has not been blocked by NADRA on its own accord or without lawful basis; rather, the same was digitally impounded pursuant to a judicial order passed by the learned IIIrd Civil Judge & J.M., Karachi South in FIR No.277/2012. Therefore, the action of NADRA cannot be termed as arbitrary, illegal, or without lawful authority, as it is merely implementing a competent Court’s order. However, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakistan has re cently held that a citizen’s CNIC is an important identity document having direct nexus with the enjoyment of fundamental rights; however, its issuance, suspension, or restoration is subject to law and due process. NADRA, being a statutory authority, cannot continue blocking a CNIC indefinitely without lawful justification, nor can it disregard a valid order passed by a competent Court. Any grievance regarding such blockage, where it emanates from a judicial order, is required to be agitated before the same Court which passed the order, as that Court alone has the jurisdiction to recall, modify, or clarify its directions and now in compliance with Supreme Court orders in letter and spirit. 7. In the present case, since the petitioner’s CNIC was blocked in pursuance of an order passed by the competent Court and the respondent/NADRA has no independent authority to remove such restriction in the absence of a subsequent order from the concerned Court. In such circumstances, the petitioner at the first instance is to approach the learned IIIrd Civ il Judge & J.M., Karachi South for appropriate relief in accordance with law and the decision of the Supreme Court within two weeks , after hearing the parties. 8. Accordingly, without touching the merits of the case, the instant petition is disposed of. Let a copy of this order be communicated to the learned IIIrd Civil Judge & J.M., Karachi South for compliance in time.
JUDGE
JUDGE
Shafi