PSCA reunites missing child with family after three months

  The Lahore High Court has overturned the decisions of two lower courts that had directed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to issue Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) to two individuals despite questions regarding their citizenship. The ruling reinforces that disputes involving suspected citizenship fall within the jurisdiction of NADRA’s verification mechanism rather than civil courts. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued a detailed written judgment after allowing NADRA’s appeals against the decisions of the lower courts. In the judgment, the court clarified that civil courts do not have the legal authority to decide cases involving disputed or questionable citizenship. Instead, such matters must be addressed through the procedures established under the relevant laws governing nationality verification. According to the written decision, individuals whose identity cards have been blocked or whose citizenship status has been questioned must approach the NADRA Verification Board within 30 days. The High Court further directed the Verification Board to examine each case and issue a decision in accordance with the law within 60 days of receiving the application. The judgment explains that NADRA had challenged the rulings issued by the Senior Civil Judge in Sialkot and the Sessions Judge, who had ordered the authority to issue national identity cards to two citizens despite concerns regarding the authenticity of their Pakistani citizenship. The High Court concluded that these lower courts exceeded their legal jurisdiction by issuing such directives. Justice Kayani emphasized in the written ruling that obtaining a national identity card is a fundamental right of every eligible Pakistani citizen. However, the court also stressed that this right must be exercised in accordance with the law and only after citizenship has been properly verified through the legally prescribed process.   The respondents maintained before the court that they were Pakistani citizens by birth and therefore entitled to receive national identity cards. They argued that NADRA had incorrectly classified them as foreign nationals and subsequently blocked their CNICs, depriving them of an essential legal document required for everyday civic and economic activities. NADRA, on the other hand, presented documentary evidence supporting its decision to classify the individuals as non-citizens pending verification. According to the High Court’s judgment, the authority’s documentary evidence was found to be reliable and credible. The court observed that the respondents failed to produce sufficient evidence to establish their claim of Pakistani citizenship. The judgment further states that the lower courts overlooked significant documentary evidence and failed to apply the relevant legal principles before directing NADRA to issue the identity cards. As a result, the High Court held that these legal errors warranted judicial intervention. Justice Kayani noted that the High Court has the constitutional authority to correct legal mistakes committed by subordinate courts. Exercising this authority, the court declared both lower court decisions null and void, thereby allowing NADRA’s appeals. The ruling establishes an important legal precedent regarding the resolution of citizenship disputes in Pakistan. It clarifies that while access to a national identity card is a fundamental right, questions relating to citizenship must first be determined through NADRA’s statutory verification process rather than through civil litigation. The decision also seeks to ensure consistency in handling citizenship-related cases by directing affected individuals to the NADRA Verification Board and requiring the board to decide such matters within a specified timeframe. This approach aims to balance the protection of citizens’ rights with the need to maintain the integrity and accuracy of Pakistan’s national identity registration system.

Lahore: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has strongly responded to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s criticism of Pakistan’s governance system, arguing that he should not condemn the same structure that helped him rise to a senior position. In her reaction, Bukhari said Naqvi had advanced through the existing system and was now calling it a failure despite being one of its beneficiaries. She also claimed that the responsibilities entrusted to him had produced disappointing results, adding that the country’s leadership would decide how to address the matter if it was being raised seriously. Her remarks came after Naqvi, speaking at the Pakistan Economic Summit in Islamabad, described the current governance system as ineffective and incapable of solving the country’s long-standing challenges. The interior minister called for sweeping administrative reforms, including decentralizing authority and creating new administrative units, saying such changes are essential to improve governance and prevent Pakistan from facing the same problems in the years ahead.

  Zoe Saldaña has built an impressive career in Hollywood, achieving milestones that only a small number of actors can claim. From becoming an Academy Award winner to appearing in some of the world’s most successful film franchises, the actress has established herself as one of the industry’s most recognisable stars. However, Saldaña now appears ready to explore a completely different side of filmmaking by considering a move into directing. During an appearance at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, Saldaña spoke about her desire to eventually take control behind the camera. Addressing the festival audience, the actress said she believed there would come a point when simply watching other directors work would no longer be enough for her. Saldaña joked that after observing directors for so long, she might eventually feel compelled to take over the camera herself. Her comments reflected her growing interest in expanding her creative role within the film industry and exploring storytelling from a director’s perspective. The actress also expressed confidence in her own instincts, particularly when discussing women and their ability to recognise what they believe is right. With a humorous tone, she suggested that women often feel confident in their opinions because they are correct a significant amount of the time. For Saldaña, directing could provide an opportunity to test those instincts and prove what she can accomplish outside her established acting career. Her remarks came as she was being honoured at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. Saldaña received a Special Honorary Pardo at the event, recognising her contribution to cinema and her successful career across a wide range of projects. During her appearance, the actress also reflected on her childhood and the experience of growing up between different cultures. Born in the Dominican Republic, Saldaña said her background and experiences of feeling like an outsider have played an important role in shaping the way she approaches acting and develops her characters. She recalled the challenges of being separated from a New York environment where she had been exposed to people from different backgrounds and cultures. According to Saldaña, living in a diverse environment allowed her to encounter different perspectives and understand the world beyond a single cultural identity. She later moved to a much smaller and more culturally homogeneous island, an experience she described as difficult during her formative years. The transition brought significant challenges, particularly because she encountered a society with a more unified religious and cultural identity. Despite the difficulties, Saldaña believes those experiences ultimately became valuable to her as an actor. She explained that the challenges of growing up between different cultural environments helped her develop a broader understanding of people and identities. That perspective, she suggested, became particularly useful when portraying some of her most famous characters, including Neytiri in the Avatar franchise and Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. For Saldaña, growing up between cultures provided both struggles and opportunities for personal development. She believes being exposed to different ways of life enriched her understanding of human experiences and gave her additional emotional depth as a performer. Now, after years of success in front of the camera, Saldaña appears interested in turning those experiences into a new creative challenge. Her potential move into directing could mark an important new chapter in her career, allowing her to bring her perspective, cultural experiences and storytelling instincts to filmmaking from behind the camera.