LAHORE: In an ‘out-of-box’ verdict, the Lahore High Court gave a ruling lately that a citizen cannot get a visa of a foreign country owning a stance that it is his fundamental right.
In a report filed by an English daily Dawn, Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir said that such violation of basic rights can be made against the state of Pakistan but the same cannot be made against an ambassador/embassy, compelling it to issue an order for a visa of that particular country.
The judge gave these remarks while brushing off a petition of a citizen, Saghir Ahmed, who sought a direction to the envoy of the U.S. embassy Islamabad to give him and his family visa besides facilitating their air travel to the States.
Presumably, Ahmed attributed some ‘danger’ to his life the reason behind his application for seeking asylum in the United States. He also tried to cement his argument citing references from the Constitution and the rules of the Geneva Convention.
But the judge said that an ambassador or the U.S. embassy is neither working for the country nor is legally bound to give visa and air tickets to the petitioner and his family members, hence Ahmed’s case does not fall within the ambit of this court provided under Article 199 of the Constitution.
