New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the authorities to expedite the processing of the visa application submitted by Pernia Qureshi, daughter of meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi.
Justice Sachin Datta observed that Pernia Qureshi would apply for the visa and asked the Regional Aliens Registration Office to seek to issue the visa to her as per the established guidelines.
The court passed the order on a petition filed by Pernia Qureshi, a US citizen, in 2019, against the Centre’s decision to revoke her status as a person of Indian origin.
It also objected to a 2018 letter informing it that a person whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were Pakistani citizens was not eligible for an Overseas Citizen of India Card.
“The petitioner in this case also prefers to file an application for a visa, which shall be duly processed and considered by the respondent,” the court said in its April 20 order.
“The Regional Aliens Registration Office shall act expeditiously to process the application and make every effort to issue a visa to the applicant in accordance with applicable guidelines.”
The court also directed the authorities to decide on the visa application submitted by Pernia Qureshi’s sister, Sylvia Moen, who is also a US citizen, as quickly as possible and, in any event, within 10 days of April 20.
Central government advisor Rajesh Gogna confirmed that Pernia Qureshi was living in the country without a valid permit.
Pernia Qureshi stated in her petition that she was born in Pakistan in October 1983, and that while her mother was a Pakistani citizen at that time, her father was an Indian citizen. The petition stated that the petitioner and her mother renounced their Pakistani citizenship and the petitioner became an Indian citizen in 1995.
The petitioner became a US citizen in 2007 and was issued a PIO card in March 2008, which is valid until 2023, it added.
Meanwhile, the Center amended the Citizenship Act to declare that all PIO cardholders will be considered OCI cardholders, but refused to grant OCI status to Pernia Qureshi as the updated legal framework stipulates that a person who is or was a Pakistani citizen is ineligible.
On March 19, 2019, the Supreme Court restrained the Center from revoking Pernia Qureshi’s status as a PIO card holder till the next date of hearing, stating that there was no dispute that she had been an Indian citizen for 12 years.
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