W.P. Nos. 3343-P/2025 and Connected Petitions | Decided  December 2025 | Before the Peshawar High Court

In a landmark series of constitutional petitions before the Peshawar High Court, Mr. Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel Advocate Supreme Court  represented petitioners seeking recognition and restoration of their Pakistani citizenship. The cases involved individuals whose CNICs had been blocked or digitally impounded and whose Pakistani nationality was questioned due to possession of Afghan passports or nationality. Many petitioners were Pakistani citizens by birth or descent, holding valid CNICs and passports, yet faced administrative actions that threatened their fundamental civil rights. Mr. Kakakhel argued that mere possession of a foreign passport , often obtained during minority or for employment purposes cannot automatically , result in cessation of Pakistani citizenship and emphasized the statutory safeguards under the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951, and the NADRA Ordinance, 2000, including due process, notice, and opportunity to be heard.

The Peshawar High Court clarified that citizenship cannot be arbitrarily revoked and highlighted the importance of verifying factual status under Section 14 of the Citizenship Act, recognizing exceptions for minors and female citizens married to non-Pakistani spouses. The Court directed the Federal Government and NADRA to follow proper statutory procedures, allow petitioners to present supporting documents, and issue reasoned decisions within defined timelines. In W.P. No. 3343-P/2025, an adverse declaration of cessation of citizenship was set aside, mandating reconsideration of the petitioners’ status in accordance with law. The judgment reinforces that administrative actions impacting citizenship must comply with statutory safeguards and due process, ensuring protection of civil and constitutional rights.