The Court of Appeal on August 15 suspended the decision taken by the authorities to repatriate Pakistani nationals who have sought refugees status in Sri Lanka.

The order was made when a petition filed by an aggrieved Pakistani female was taken up for consideration.

Appeal Court Judge W.A. Salam ordered the respondents  — the controller of the Immigration and Emigration, the minister of external affairs, the defence minister, the defence secretary, the inspector general of police, the commissioner of human rights and the attorney general — to appear before court on August 29.

The petitioner, Anila Imran, has stated that the Pakistani authorities persecute Christians and Shia Muslims in the Ahamandi region and requested court to put a full stop for the repatriation. She states that they had arrived in Sri Lanka seeking protection.

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