V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
implementing citizenship laws and policies for the inclusion of Bengali, Bihari
and Rohingya communities; and ensure adopting measures to provide
protection to stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness, including
the right to free movement, work, health and education.
Expand interpretation of Pakistan’s Jus Soli (by birth on the territory)
citizenship provision in section 4 of the Pakistan Citizenship Act, in accordance
with Pakistan’s international law obligations, in order to facilitate citizenship
acquisition of children born on the territory to non-Pakistani parents who are
not deemed to be “enemy aliens”.
Ensure that Bengali and Bihari children who are legally entitled to citizenship
by birth on the territory, are not denied their right to citizenship as a result of
discriminatory implementation of the law. Further ensure that all persons
who have been denied access to citizenship in this manner, have their
citizenship restored in an expeditious manner.
Recognise and restore the citizenship of all Bengali and Bihari persons who
have been forcibly registered as aliens and issued with ARCs and NARA cards,
thereby in effect, depriving them of their Pakistani citizenship.
Ensure that all children – including stateless children and undocumented
children – have access to education as protected under Article 25-A of the
Constitution of Pakistan.
Provide training to staff of all relevant government departments to ensure
that they are sensitised to the different challenges that stateless,
undocumented and at risk of statelessness people face; that they are aware
of their legal obligations to not discriminate and to facilitate documentation
and access to rights for such people, and are provided the tools to deal with
such people with empathy.
In accordance with NADRA policy, ensure the equal right of women in
practice, to register the births of their children against their own CNIC without
the need to provide the father’s CNIC.
Review administrative procedures to ensure that no one is left without a birth
registration, including by taking measures to reach rural populations through
mobile units. Further, ensure that everyone born in Pakistan has the access
to acquiring a CRC and CNIC, on the basis of the birth registration.
Record and report accurate statistics of the stateless population in Pakistan,
including Rohingyas, Afghan refugees, Ethnic Bengalis and Urdu speaking
Biharis.
Provide documentation to undocumented Afghans and other stateless
people.
Expedite facilitated citizenship for stateless groups including Afghans and
Rohingyas.
Ratify and fully implement the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of
Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
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