AFGHAN NATIONAL IN PAKISTAN
(Shah Nawaz Bokhari, Rawalpindi)
Afghan national in Pakistan
It is ridiculous for Afghan nationals to live as Pakistanis. It is a bitter reality. As true, as it sounds. After 1978 during Afghan-Russian War broke out and these Afghan, nationals enter through Khyber Pass in Pakistan. A few Afghans habitually liar and hide their identity. Now the situation is worse than ever the Afghan national is hiding their identity as well as making fake National Identity Cards (CNIC) and Passports to show off as Pakistanis. They have acquired property in various districts in Pakistan. Now their children show they have nationals of Pakistan because they acquiring various degrees based on their identity card and domicile, etc. It is ridiculous. It is an alarming situation.
Afghan nationals are habitually hired for low-paid employment in various institutions in Pakistan. It is their basic right and it is admitted fact. It does not mean they hide their identity in any manner. They should show off their original nationality in CNIC and domicile. There is no problem to acquire limited property in Pakistan in the specified areas allocated by the federal government. In our constitution, no dual national acquires a government job in any manner. According to Pakistan Penal Code 1860, it is a crime if you hide your identity and you will punish accordingly. The various Pakistanis who are married to Afghan women and their children are constitutional and are called Pakistanis.
It is two ways to acquire Pakistani Citizenship. Firstly, apply through proper channels to acquire a work permit in Pakistan and live as an Afghan national for at least 10 years in Pakistan. After this, they apply for citizenship. No Afghanis can grant citizenship through the marriage of Pakistani women. It is pertinent to mention here that this immunity is only granted to Afghan women who have the right to acquire citizenship after fulfilling codal formalities to marry a Pakistani man to acquire the nationality of Pakistan. Nevertheless, her original nationality was still Afghani until her death.
After 1978, the people of Afghans migrated to Pakistan, and they call Afghan citizens. It is their base right to live as other Pakistan but they have essential show off their original nationality. If they use illegal means to acquire national Identity cards and other documents they should prove their ancestral before 1978. Otherwise, National Database Authority has the right to block their CNIC and no further opportunity to be provided to these Afghan nationals. If Afghan nationals avoid penal consequences show their original identity mentioned in the column of the National Identity Card as Afghanis. They have bound to submit their documents to Afghan Embassy in Pakistan as well.