Pakistan: Whether Pakistani National Identity Cards (NIC) and passports typically contain all of a person's names, including surnames, caste names and patronymics, or whether some are only optionally shown
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 11 December 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | PAK38195.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Pakistan: Whether Pakistani National Identity Cards (NIC) and passports typically contain all of a person's names, including surnames, caste names and patronymics, or whether some are only optionally shown, 11 December 2001, PAK38195.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be8d1c.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Both a representative of the Consulate General of Pakistan in Toronto and a representative of the High Commission for Pakistan in Ottawa stated that Pakistani National Identity Cards (NIC) and passports must contain the holder's given name(s) and the father's name; in the case of a woman this name would either be her father's name or, upon her marriage, her husband's (Consulate General 6 Dec. 2001; High Commission 10 Dec. 2001).
Whether a caste name, also identified as the family name or surname, is included is the choice of the individual (ibid.) and, according to the representative of the Consulate General, will either appear before the given name(s) or after the father's or husband's name, depending on the particular caste (6 Dec. 2001). In cases of inter-caste marriage, the caste name is always determined by the caste of the father (ibid.). Therefore, a woman would maintain her father's caste name and would not adopt that of her husband's upon marriage (ibid.).
The representative of the Consulate General added that the information contained on the passport would be in English while that contained on the NIC would be in Urdu (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Consulate General of Pakistan, Toronto. 6 December 2001. Telephone interview with a representative.
High Commission for Pakistan, Ottawa. 10 December 2001. Telephone interview with a representative.