Question hour: Working for Pakistan, nationals of elsewhere

ISLAMABAD:

At least 17 serving federal government employees of grade 18 and above possess dual nationalities, the minister in-charge of the Establishment Division informed the National Assembly on Thursday.

While responding to a question by Humair Hayat Rokhri, a Member of National Assembly from the opposition benches, the minister-in-charge said that the 17 employees included Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Chairman National Language Authority.

He stated that the information on the number of parliamentarians holding dual nationalities was obtained from the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Division, while information on federal government employees was received only from seven ministries and divisions.

He further said that six of the 17 employees opted to become nationals of the UK, followed by five opting for Canadian nationality. The US and Australia were the other two countries of preference.

The National Assembly was informed that despite repeated reminders, 21 ministries and divisions of the federal government did not provide any information on their employees.

Meanwhile, during the question hour, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qammar informed the house that the government was trying to meet the supply as well as demand of energy.

He said that five small dams were set to be constructed with the $700 provided by China. A memorandum of understanding will be signed between the two parties soon, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2011.