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The Lahore High Court (LHC) has granted women the right to retain their father’s name on their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) after marriage.
According to media reports, the LHC has instructed the Immigration Department to amend its rules to allow women to maintain their father’s name on their national identity card, regardless of their marital status.
The court has directed the immigration and passport department to complete the consultation process within three months and amend the rules accordingly, permitting women to retain their father’s name on both their CNIC and passport.
The order was issued by Justice Asim Hafeez in response to a petition filed by Mehr Bano Langrial. The petitioner sought a declaration affirming a married woman’s right to keep her father’s name on her identity documents, including her CNIC and passport.
Additional Attorney General Mirza Nasar Ahmad informed the court that the federal government had no objections to the petitioner’s request.
In his ruling, Justice Hafeez noted that the government essentially acknowledged women’s right to retain their father’s name on their CNIC and passport, regardless of their marital status. However, he clarified that this acknowledgment would not affect the government’s policy concerning the format or details of passports issued to children, which would continue under existing policies.
