PHC bars deportation of Afghan cancer patient

Directs authorities to consider medical visa or temporary stay request on humanitarian grounds

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has re-strained law enforcement agencies from arresting or deporting an Afghan national suffering from cancer and his two family members for a period of 30 days on humanitarian grounds.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Salahuddin and Justice Jawad Ehsanullah disposed of a petition filed by cancer patient Anar Gul, his wife, and their son, directing them to approach the relevant author-ities for a medical visa or submit an application to the Ministry of Interior seeking permission to remain in Pakistan until the completion of his treatment.

The court ordered that if such an application is sub-mitted, the competent authorities must decide it promptly in accordance with the law, taking into ac-count the petitioner's medical condition and the supporting documents provided.

In its order, the bench observed that although the petitioners currently do not possess valid immigra-tion status in Pakistan, the principal petitioner is un-dergoing critical medical treatment, warranting hu-manitarian consideration.

Counsel for the petitioners, Imran Khan, argued that his clients had been residing in Swat on the basis of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which are no long-er recognised as valid documents permitting their stay in Pakistan.

He informed the court that Anar Gul was initially di-agnosed with cancer and received treatment at Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. He is now un-dergoing weekly chemotherapy sessions at Shifa In-ternational Hospital in Islamabad. Any interruption or delay in his treatment, the counsel argued, could pose a serious threat to his life.

Assistant Attorney General Syed Jameel Shah sub-mitted that the petitioners no longer have legal au-thority to remain in Pakistan since their PoR cards have expired.