Supreme Court Rules: Blocking CNIC to Enforce Court Orders is Illegal and Unconstitutional

ISLAMABAD (International News): In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared that blocking a citizen’s Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to enforce court orders is illegal, unconstitutional, and a direct violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan.
The apex court held that a national identity card is not merely a document but a gateway to a citizen’s basic rights and daily necessities — including access to banking, healthcare, education, employment, and government services. Depriving any individual of their CNIC, the court observed, effectively strips them of their identity and renders them unable to function as a member of society, which amounts to a grave infringement of their fundamental human rights.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court struck down the Sindh High Court’s earlier judgment on the matter, setting a new legal precedent that prohibits any authority from using CNIC blockage as a tool to compel compliance with court directives.
The judgment is being widely hailed as a significant victory for civil liberties in Pakistan, where the practice of blocking identity cards had become increasingly common in legal and administrative disputes, leaving countless citizens in a state of legal limbo and unable to access essential services.
Legal experts believe this ruling will have far-reaching implications, placing a firm constitutional check on the powers of both courts and administrative bodies in matters concerning citizens’ fundamental rights.