Question hour: ‘No record of MNAs with dual nationalities’

Constitution bars MNAs from holding dual citizenship.

ISLAMABAD:

While the Constitution of Pakistan in Article 63(c) bars parliamentarians from holding dual nationality, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has no data available on parliamentarians’ dual nationality, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs informed the house during the question hour.

Members of the Parliament and provincial assemblies file their nomination papers with respective returning officers but there is no column with regard to dual nationality in the nomination forms prescribed under the law, stated the minister. The ECP, therefore, has no way of determining how many parliamentarians are also foreign nationals, he said.

The commission, however, is considering inserting a new column in the nomination form to obtain information on dual nationalities in future elections, he added.

Over two dozen parliamentarians are suspected to have dual nationalities, said an ECP official while speaking to The Express Tribune.

He confirmed that inserting a column in the nomination forms was under consideration but legislation is required to make amendments to the form.

‘Whenever there were efforts made by the ECP to move a request for legislation, it was delayed or stopped by the parliamentarians themselves,” said the official.



Credible electoral rolls

The ECP is preparing computerised electoral rolls in collaboration with NADRA for  the upcoming general and local government elections, the minister said in response to a question. The new rolls will eliminate duplication and bogus voter registration and are due to be published by the end of this year, he added.

Fines paid by PIA

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has paid over Rs70 million in fines at foreign stations on account of passengers declared inadmissible, minister for housing and works informed the house on behalf of defence minister.

He said that 667 cases of people travelling on fake immigration documents were reported between 2006 and 2010.

Over Rs10 million have already been recovered while a follow-up is under way to recover the remaining amount, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 29^th, 2011.