KARACHI, June 27: Taking suo moto notice of media reports that a Pakistani woman has been denied citizenship for her foreign husband, the Federal Shariat Court has given a notice to the federal government as to why this act may not be declared repugnant to the injunctions of Islam.

The Federal Shariat Court, in its notice on Tuesday, asked the secretaries of ministries of law and interior and the Attorney-General of Pakistan to file comments within three weeks hereof to be followed by hearing in the court.

The notice, issued from FSC Camp at Karachi, stated that it has been brought to the notice of the court through print media that under Citizenship Act 1951, a married Pakistani woman has been denied the right to get Pakistani citizenship for her foreign husband whereas a married Pakistani man is entitled under Section 10 of the said Act to obtain citizenship for his foreign wife.

The FSC, having taken notice of this, in exercise of its powers under Article 203-D, shall take up this matter and decide the question whether or not the said provisions of law in the Citizenship Act 1951 are discriminatory and repugnant to the injunctions of Islam, being in violation of principles of democracy, equality and social justice, as enunciated and laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.—PPI