HRCP concerned with police harassment | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

HRCP concerned with police harassment

PESHAWAR – The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed its concern over the police harassment of an Indian woman who has married a Pakistani citizen.

Hifsa Aman, wife of Aman Khan a resident of Mardan, has acquired a stay order from the Peshawar High Court which forbids any action against her because Ms Aman’s case for Pakistani citizenship is still pending, a statement by Sher Muhammad Khan, HRCP vice chairman, said on July 14.

The HRCP official said that normally when women of foreign origin marry Pakistani men they are granted Pakistani citizenship when they apply for it, but in Ms Aman’s case the interior ministry discriminated against her because of her country of origin.

Mr Khan said the attitude of the ministry was in total violation of the Citizenship Act and fundamental rights provided for in the Constitution of the country. It is also against the spirit of the stance taken by the present government to promote friendly relations with India, he added.

He said that the HRCP demanded the immediate end to Ms Aman’s harassment by the police, which is illegal and immoral. The HRCP official also demanded an end to the delay by the interior ministry in processing Ms Aman’s application.

The government should make public any reservations it has in granting citizenship to the wife of a Pakistani citizen, said the HRCP vice chairperson. Hifsa who converted to Islam, is a doctor by profession. She was a Hindu before she married Mr Khan.

Source: Daily Times

Date:7/15/2004