ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari appointed Senator Rehman Malik as the Federal Interior Minister on Friday soon after he was sworn back into the parliament.
Malik had resigned from his Senate membership after the Supreme Court suspended him from the parliament on June 4 for allegedly running for the Senate in 2009 while still holding British citizenship. He was elected unopposed at a by-election in the same seat for the Senate, or upper house of parliament, which he held prior to his June suspension, paving the way for him to be reconfirmed as a cabinet minister.
The swearing-in ceremony was broadcast live on state television.
The Constitution bars MPs from acquiring foreign nationality.
Documents that Malik submitted to the court failed to convince judges that he had renounced his dual nationality before being elected.
Under the constitution, only members of parliament can hold the rank of cabinet minister.
After his suspension, Malik was swiftly appointed the prime minister's "advisor" on interior affairs, effectively allowing him to keep his interior ministry job.
The by-election was held in Karachi, although Malik is originally from Punjab.
The Karachi seat won by Malik is reserved for technocrats. Malik is a former official from the Federal Investigation Agency.
The Supreme Court has recently suspended a number of MPs over dual nationality, including Farahnaz Ispahani, an advisor to Zardari and the wife of Pakistan's sacked ambassador to Washington. She holds dual Pakistani-US nationality.
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Baba Wait for few more months and thanks to the ignorance of awaam !!! you will see we all will come in power again hahaha!!! you deserve us :D
Shameless leaders,,, Shameless democracy..
He was missed badly, a great contributor to the progress and prosperity of Pakistan. He was worth all the trouble and manipulations by his King Zardari to be back in action.
Democracy is the best revenge (from people of Pakistan).
There is no LAW in Pakistan
What is the big fuss here? Malik was a senator, then suspended by the SC. He produced the required documents and is re-elected. Yet another waste of time and resources by the PCO SC. Election Commission chief has been a sitting judge of current SC, Shakir Jaan and it was his job to make sure that elections are fair and nomination papers are proper.
This is what PPP likes calling democracy... power at all costs. No wonder democracy is the best revenge (on the people of Pakistan).
Is it so ? God help Pakistan!!!
Some people have so many nationalities, responibilities, and shamelessness that it make you speechless. You can not even say congratulation. God may bless Pakistan.