SHC notices Secretary Interior Ministry, NADRA Chairman in abandoned childrens guardianship case

KARACHI, Sindh High Court Thursday issued notice to Secretary Federal Interior Ministry & Chairman National Database & Registration Authority on petition seeking third column of guardianship for abandoned children in national registration forms.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Mushir Alam & Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, was hearing petition filed by a woman entrepreneur, who sought introducing third column of guardian in NADRA registration forms for abandoned children adopted from welfare foundations. Petitioner, Ayesha Jalil, impleaded Secretary Interior Ministry & Chairman NADRA as respondents. She submitted she was entrepreneur working in public advertisement industry. She submitted contacted Edhi Foundation to adopt an abandoned child. Later, Edhi Foundation contacted her to inform if she wanted to adopt a female child abandoned at charity. She submitted on August 2010 she adopted female child as guardian from the charity. She said now she came to know that fulfilling formalities of guardianship was mandatory, therefore, she contacted NADRA office.

She stated NADRA officials stated there was no column in authoritys data registration form to show guardian of abandoned child, but only column for father. Under NADRA (National Identity Card) Rules 2002 and NADRA (Application for National Identity Card) Regulations 2002, only option in registration form was to indicate name of childs father. She said according to NADRA officials, parentage or guardian of abandoned child will be shown as Unknown. This is failure on part of NADRA authorities. This act is also contrary to provisions of Article 2(2)(C). She contended it was detrimental to reputation of abandoned children, thus violation of Articles 14, 25 as well as Guardians and Wardens Act 1890. She prayed to direct respondents to ensure all registration forms contain new column of guardians. SHC division bench order ! said: Pe tition has impugned inaction on part of Respondents wherein no provision is provided for guardian of parentless children, who are adopted by issueless parents and/or otherwise. Let notice be issued to Respondents. Hearing was adjourned to a date in office.