LHC Rules CNIC Cannot Be Treated Property

LHC rules CNIC is not movable property. Civil courts cannot block or seize identity cards.

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Lahore High Court declares that a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) does not fall under the category of movable property and cannot be used by civil courts as a tool for enforcement in legal disputes.

The ruling is issued by Justice Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh while deciding a petition filed by Muhammad Ali Ansari, who contests the suspension of his CNIC by National Database and Registration Authority. The card was blocked following instructions from a civil court during execution proceedings.

The petitioner maintains that such action exceeds the legal authority granted under the Nadra Ordinance, 2000. In contrast, a representative for Nadra argues that the CNIC could be treated as an attachable asset to compel compliance with court orders.

In its judgment, the court explains that a CNIC serves purely as an official identification document issued by the state and does not grant ownership rights to individuals. As such, it remains under government control and cannot be classified as transferable or attachable property.

The court rules that only Nadra has the legal mandate to suspend or cancel CNICs, and only under specific conditions defined by law. It declares the earlier blocking unlawful and directs that the CNIC be restored, with a compliance report to be submitted within 15 days.