The Khyber Pukhton Khawa government has decided to not deport National Geography famed Sharbat Gula following the court ordered to deport her for having illegal identity card.

Sharbat Gula was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Oct 26 from her house in the Nauthia area for alleged forgery of a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC). A day after her arrest, the United Nations High Commissioner distanced itself from Sharbat Gula, claiming that she was not a registered refugee.

The parliamentary leader of PTI in KPK assembly Shoukat Yousaf Zai said that party chairman Imran Khan had requested to chief minister Pervez Khattak to not deport her on humanitarian basis and on taking decision, on the request, KPK government has decided to not deport her.

KP’s home department, following the decision, has also stopped implementation of the decision to deport her.

The decision was taken on humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture towards Afghanistan.

Earlier in the week, a special anti-corruption and immigration court in Peshawar ordered the deportation of Sharbat Gula after she serves a 15-day jail sentence and pays a fine of Rs110,000.