Justice Muneeb Akhtar issues three-page ruling quashing SHC order, saying ID card is basic necessity
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has declared the Sindh High Court’s order to block the national identity card of a citizen to implement a court judgment illegal, ruling that depriving a citizen of a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) is tantamount to taking away the fundamental right to life.
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Justice Muneeb Akhtar issued a three-page written judgment stating that a national identity card is not a luxury but a basic necessity for leading a normal life. “Will the courts tomorrow also order the disconnection of electricity and water connections to recover the money?” He read the sentence.
The court held that no provision of Article 51 of the Code of Civil Procedure allows blocking of a national identity card and that without a clear legal provision, no court can order such action.
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He further observed that an amendment brought by the Peshawar High Court in the Code of Civil Procedure does not apply to the province of Sindh.
The case arises from a 2016 trial order issued against the petitioner in a property dispute, ordering him to deposit a certain amount. In the absence of payment, the trial court ordered the blocking of his national identity card, a decision that was later confirmed by the Sindh High Court. The Supreme Court has now overturned that ruling.
