Top court takes notice of newly-elected senators' dual nationality

Three-judge bench headed by issued notice to senators to explain their dual nationality on March 8 in Lahore


Hasnaat Malik March 05, 2018
PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD: The country's top court on Monday stopped the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from issuing a notification regarding the election win of four senators over their dual nationalities.

Three of the newly elected Senators are from the PML-N while one is associated with the PTI.

The list includes Sarwar Chaudhry, Haroon Akhtar, Nuzhat Sadiq and Sadia Abbasi.

The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar issued the notice to the senators to explain their dual nationality on March 8 in Lahore.

The Secretary ECP submitted that the interior ministry provided the data on the senators who are holding dual nationality.

The three judge bench headed by Justice Nisar had asked the Attorney General of Pakistan to submit a report in this regard by 4pm today.

The CJP has asked the AG to reveal names of the senators and whether they renounced their nationalities before contesting for elections. If they did not then what action could be taken against them, he questioned.

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The bench has also sought CNIC numbers of all officers from different departments to find out about those who are holding dual nationalities. The court has also asked Prime Minister’s Secretariat to submit reports over dual national officers.

A top bureaucrat, who is working directly under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office, is holding a dual nationality, an official revealed.

The newly appointed secretary of the Board of Investment (BoI), Samaira Nazir Siddiqui, has admitted that she is also a citizen of New Zealand following a recent inquiry initiated by the Establishment Division in this regard on the directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on February 1.

Siddiqui, a grade-22 officer, was appointed BoI secretary last month. The BoI works under the administrative control of the Prime Minister’s Office. Her husband Shoaib Siddiqui is also a senior civil servant and currently holds the position of the Planning and Development secretary.

COMMENTS (3)

Amir | 6 years ago | Reply Someone who has once taken dual nationality should not be allowed even if they renounce it. Because once they are out they reapply. They had already shown there interest to leave Pakistan why bring them back
Chefs | 6 years ago | Reply @Sabir Khan: Dual nationality means you don't have full stake in the government you are working for at a senior level... Meaning you could rub away with State secrets... Hence they should be banned
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