Islamabad - A writ petition challenging interior ministry’s notification about cancelation of visas of two principals and another staffer of Islamabad Convent School and asking them to leave the country within five days was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Tuesday.
In this matter, the petitioners, including Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad/Rawalpindi through its Bishop and Education Board of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad/Rawalpindi (Diocesan Board of Education) through its chairman, have alleged that the said notification is a result of personal victimisation by the respondents because the wife of the current federal interior minister was teacher in Islamabad Convent School in H-8 branch but she resigned after developing strained relations with the principal.
The petitioners moved the court through their counsel Rana Abid Nazir Khan and cited Federation of Pakistan through its secretary interior, SSP (operations) ICT, Director General (DG) ISI, Intelligence Bureau through its director general, director immigration FIA, deputy director FIA Benazir International Airport Islamabad and personal staff officer to the minister for interior as respondents.
They stated in the petition that the two campuses of Islamabad Convent School are being run in Sector F-8 and H-8, Islamabad, under the control of DBE and the missionaries from Religious Virgin Mary Congregation (RVM) namely Sister Miraflor Aclan Bahan, RVM, and Sister Delia Coyoca Rubio, RVM are the principals of both of the campuses, whereas Sister Alizabeth Umali Seguenza, RVM and Sister Alice S Elloran, RVM are also performing their duties in both of the campuses as missionary workers.
Their counsel adopted that on 02-04-2015, the request for the extension of two (2) years in the missionary visas of Sister Miraflor Aclan Bahan, RVM, Sister Delia Coyoca Rubio, RVM and Sister Elizabeth Umali Seguenza, RVM were forwarded to the visa section of Directorate General of Immigration and Passport Islamabad by the petitioner number 1 and the same were granted as per request on 7th May, 2015, without raising any query or objection by the concerned office.
Advocate Rana Abid told that on 17-06-2015, a letter with the subject “Cancellation of visas of Philippines Missionary Workers”, dated 16-6-2015 was amazingly received in the school campuses, whereby all of the abovementioned Sisters RVM were directed to leave the country within 15 days as their visas were being cancelled owing to reason that the missionary workers are being involved in employment and it constitutes change in category of visa.
“That the issuance of the impugned letter is against the principle of natural justice i.e. “Audi Alteram Partem” hence liable to be set aside,” maintained the counsel.
The petitioners alleged that the impugned letter dated 16-06-2015 is a result of personal victimisation by the respondents because the wife of the current federal interior minister was a teacher in Islamabad Convent School, H-8 branch, under the supervision of Sister Miraflor Aclan Bahan, RVM who developed the strained relation with the said principal and ultimately she resigned.
“The impugned letter was issued to the said Principal along others just for personal grudge and ego, this contention of the petitioner further finds support from the content of the impugned letter itself that the letter was issued only in one day on the telephonic instructions of the interior minister,” alleged the counsel.
He maintained that more than 4,000 students of Islamabad Convent School of F-8 and H-8, who are Pakistani nationals are made the escape goat by the respondent just because of their personal liking and disliking, if the missionary workers will be sent back then no proper replacement will be available for the proper taking care of the 4,000 children/students of Pakistan.
The counsel Rana Abid adopted that the impugned letter dated 16-06-2015, is the result of colourable exercise of power which was condemned by the apex court of the country through their plethora of judgments and the action taken there under were set aside by the August Supreme Court of Pakistan.
He continued that this shameful and awful action of the respondents is lowering the image of our executives as well as legislation work amongst the foreigners and diplomats in Pakistan.
Hence, the impugned letter is also required to set aside to revive the lost image of our country.
Therefore, he prayed that by accepting the instant petition, the writ may graciously be issued by declaring that the impugned letter dated 16-6-2015 is illegal, unlawful, arbitrary, result of personal grudge and ego, tool of exploitation, a result of colourable exercise of power without lawful justification, has nullity in the eye of law and against the principles of natural justice and same may graciously be set aside in the best interest of justice.