Peshawar High Court has halted the deportation of an Afghan citizen married to a Pakistani woman. The court has ordered the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to decide on issuing a Pakistan Origin Card (POC) to the Afghan man. This order was issued based on a joint petition from Bano Husna and her Afghan husband, Masood Khan.

​A judicial bench led by Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel stated that the Afghan national would not be deported until NADRA makes a final decision on the POC. The court also ordered the marriage certificate of the couple to be registered at the level of the local council to ensure the marriage is genuine and not just on paper.

​Meanwhile, dozens of Pakistani women have requested POCs for their Afghan husbands who are fathers to Pakistani children. Their lawyers argued in court that deporting the Afghan husbands violates the right to family life and is in conflict with the constitution and international human rights agreements. According to them, the children of these marriages are considered natural citizens of Pakistan under the Citizenship Act of 1951 and the state is obligated to protect family unity.