Stateless Sisters in Kerala Stuck After Failed Pakistan Renunciation
Two sisters living in Kerala since 2008 have been rendered stateless after the Pakistan High Commission declined to issue renunciation certificates due to age restrictions.
Stateless After Surrendering Pakistani Passports
Two sisters who moved to Kerala in 2008 surrendered their Pakistani passports in 2017 seeking Indian citizenship. Because they were under 21, Pakistan’s High Commission did not issue renunciation certificates, leaving them without any nationality.
Legal Battle in Kerala High Court
The sisters hold certificates confirming submission of their passports and Pakistan’s non-objection to Indian citizenship. Indian authorities have refused to accept these in place of formal renunciation documents, prompting a legal challenge.
In 2024, a single-judge bench ruled that requiring the impossible document was unfair and ordered the government to grant citizenship. However, a two-judge bench overturned this decision in August, stating formal renunciation is essential to avoid competing claims by another state.
Impact on Daily Life
Without citizenship or passports, the sisters cannot travel, open mobile accounts or access basic services. One daughter’s husband returned from the Gulf due to travel restrictions; the other cannot take her son abroad for medical treatment.
Failing to obtain formal renunciation in Pakistan has left two sisters stateless, hindering their access to basic rights and services despite living in India for over a decade.
This topic was reported by BBC News.
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