LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, while hearing a petition challenging Mahmood’s election on a minority seat and his dual nationality, observed that religion is a sensitive matter which should be avoided by all respondents in the case. Instead, they should only pursue the allegations of dual nationality which have been raised in the petition, he added.
Mahmood’s counsel Advocate Jamshed Rehmatullah appeared before the court on Tuesday and requested for a week's time to submit a written reply on behalf of his client. However, the chief justice turned down the request saying that the Supreme Court has already suspended memberships of various parliamentarians for holding dual nationalities, and no further time can be given to Mahmood.
The court, however, gave two hours time to the respondent to file the reply, but Mahmood’s counsel failed in submitting a reply and requested for more time.
Petitioner Advocate Saiful Mulook submitted that the respondent was trying to delay the matter by seeking more time. He contested that it was clear that the respondent possessed an overseas identity card which is only granted to those Pakistani citizens who have a passport (nationality) of some other country.
The petitioner also produced a copy of the card in question before the court, and alleged that Mahmood was a Canadian national and the Constitution did not allow any citizen of some another country to be elected as a member of assemblies of Pakistan.
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@Pakistani-awam: MQM has every right to select anyone as party leader also Altaf Hussain doesn't hold any public office in Pakistan.
@ Pakistani awam sir the courts are the government ,they can do whatever they like
What does courts say on a MQM leader leading party from UK with British passport? Is it not interference in the internal matters of Pakistan by a British citizen? Why media and Judiciary is SILENT?