Sat Apr 12 12:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Chaiwala’s ID, Passport Blocked: Lahore High Court Seeks Government Response

**Lahore, Pakistan –** The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued notices to the federal government and relevant authorities following a petition by Arshad Khan, the social media sensation known as “chaiwala,” challenging the blocking of his Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) and passport.

Khan, who gained international fame in 2016 after a photograph of him selling tea went viral, claims the blocking by NADRA (National Database & Registration Authority) and the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports is unlawful and unconstitutional. His lawyer argued that the demand for pre-1978 residency proof is unjustified, given his family’s documented citizenship history, and violates Khan’s fundamental rights. The court heard arguments citing previous rulings that deemed similar blocking of ID documents illegal without due process.

While government representatives questioned the petition’s maintainability, citing insufficient documentation, Justice Jawad Hassan issued notices for April 17th, demanding a response and the appearance of senior officials with relevant records. The court also temporarily barred authorities from taking any further action against Khan.

In a separate but related case heard by the same judge, the LHC also restrained authorities from taking coercive action against a petitioner seeking citizenship recognition. This petitioner, born in Pakistan to Afghan refugee parents, presented a Pakistani birth certificate and is seeking a CNIC under the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951. The court ordered NADRA to decide on this claim within one month, with a reasoned order, and barred any coercive action until then.

Read More