Delhi HC directs expeditious decision on visa plea by Moin Qureshi's daughter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has asked the authorities to expeditiously process the visa application of meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi's daughter Pernia Qureshi.

Justice Sachin Datta observed that Pernia Qureshi would submit the application for the grant of visa and asked the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to endeavour to issue her the visa according to the applicable guidelines.

The court passed the order on a 2019 petition by Pernia Qureshi, a US citizen, against the Centre's decision to revoke her Person of Indian Origin (PIO) status.

She also challenged a 2018 communication informing her that a person whose parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents were citizens of Pakistan was not eligible for an Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card.

"The petitioner in the present case would also prefer an application for grant of visa which shall be duly processed and considered by the respondent," said the court in the order passed on April 20.

"The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) shall act expeditiously to process the application and make an endeavour to issue visa to the petitioner as per the applicable guidelines," it directed.

The court also directed the authorities to decide on the visa application by Pernia Qureshi's sister Sylvia Moin, also a US citizen, as expeditiously as possible and in any event, within 10 days from April 20.

Central government counsel Rajesh Gogna contended that Pernia Qureshi was living in the country without a valid permit.

In her petition, Pernia Qureshi stated she was born in Pakistan in October 1983, and that while her mother was a Pakistani citizen at the material time, her father was an Indian citizen. The plea stated that the petitioner and her mother surrendered their Pakistani citizenship and the petitioner became an Indian citizen in 1995.

The petitioner, however, became a US Citizen in 2007 and was issued a PIO card in March 2008, which was valid up to 2023, it added.

In the meantime, the Centre amended the citizenship law to declare that all the PIO cardholders would be deemed to be OCI cardholders, but refused to grant OCI status to Pernia Qureshi as the updated legal framework stipulated that a person who is or has been a citizen of Pakistan is not eligible.

On March 19, 2019, the high court restrained the Centre from revoking Pernia Qureshi's PIO cardholder status till the next date of hearing, noting that it was not disputed that she was an Indian citizen for 12 years.