LHC rules civil courts cannot order blocking of CNICs

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ruled that civil courts do not have the authority to direct the blocking or cancellation of a citizen’s Computerised National Identity Card, setting aside a lower court order that had resulted in the suspension of a petitioner’s CNIC.

The ruling came in a petition filed by citizen Ali Ansari. Justice Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh issued a detailed seven-page judgment in the matter and declared the civil court’s order unlawful. The high court also directed that the petitioner’s CNIC be restored within 15 days.

In its judgment, the court held that issues relating to CNICs do not fall within the jurisdiction of civil courts. It said a CNIC cannot be treated as property and is instead a basic proof of a citizen’s identity. The judgment further stated that such an identity document cannot be considered transferable or inheritable.

The court also observed that the issuance and regulation of CNICs fall exclusively within the domain of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), which functions under federal authority. According to the judgment, each individual is required to register independently with NADRA in order to establish their identity.

High court sets aside lower court order

The case arose after a civil court decision led to the blocking of Ali Ansari’s CNIC. The Lahore High Court, however, found that the lower court had acted beyond its legal authority in issuing such directions.

By overturning that order, the high court reaffirmed that civil courts cannot intervene in matters that are governed by the legal and administrative framework applicable to NADRA and identity registration.

NADRA rules cited in judgment

Referring to NADRA regulations, the court noted that citizens are required to obtain a CNIC when they reach the age of 18. It also observed that in the case of children under 18, parents are responsible for registering them at birth.

The judgment underscored the legal distinction between identity documentation and property-related disputes, making clear that a CNIC serves as official proof of identity rather than an asset that can be subject to transfer or inheritance claims.

With the ruling, the Lahore High Court ordered the restoration of the petitioner’s CNIC within 15 days and clarified the limits of civil court jurisdiction in matters concerning national identity documents.