Thalassery based Pak born sisters to get Indian citizenship

KOCHI: Born in Pakistan, Sumaira Maruf and Maryam Maruf can now start their lives in Kerala as Indians. Years of uncertainty have been resolved after the High Court directed the central government to grant citizenship to both. Justice TR Ravi ordered the central government to allow Indian passports to both of them without waiting for a certificate Pakistani government confirming that the two have renounced their former nationality.

These young women and their mother, Thalassery native Rasheeda Banu, approached the High Court after they were denied Indian citizenship despite renouncing their former Pakistan nationality. Rasheeda's husband Muhammad Maruf was born in Kannur but after his parents died, he migrated to Pakistan at the age of nine with his grandmother in 1977. Later, Muhammad married his uncle's daughter Rasheeda Banu from Thalassery. He is currently working in UAE.

In 2008, Rasheeda and her children returned to India taking permission from the central government. The permission to stay in India for a fixed period has been renewed several times. Then Rasheeda Banu applied for citizenship of her children but was denied for not having a certificate renouncing Pakistani citizenship.

The Pakistan Embassy explained that the certificate could not be issued as the person renounced Pakistani citizenship before turning 21 years of age. But a certificate of no objection to granting of Indian citizenship was issued. Despite the efforts, the central government denied citizenship, forcing the young women to approach court.