Dual nationality issue: Assemblies push MPAs to declare status
The provincial assemblies of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have asked there lawmakers to submit affidavits confirming that they do not hold dual nationalities, as directed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in light of a Supreme Court order.
The ECP had asked all members of parliament as well as provincial assemblies to file a fresh declaration on the issue of dual nationality, after the apex court disqualified some dual national lawmakers and directed it to proceed with legal formalities.
The National Assembly and Senate, however, had refused to comply with the Supreme Court order.
A text message from the K-P Assembly Secretariat was sent out to the province’s lawmakers on Friday, asking them to fill in the forms and sign it in the presence of the assembly’s secretary before having it attested by the oath commissioner. The message added that the forms would be forwarded to the election commission.
Nighat Orakzai, a female lawmaker in the K-P Assembly, confirmed that she had received the text message from the assembly secretariat, adding that she would submit the affidavit on Monday.
However, she added that the judiciary should also ensure that such a procedure would be followed by the military and civil bureaucracy, adding that she would file a petition in this regard in the Peshawar High Court, and would also move an adjournment motion in the K-P Assembly.
However, Special Secretary to the K-P assembly Attaullah Khan could not confirm whether the text message was sent out to assembly members. Talking to The Express Tribune, he said that a few suggestions were made to the speaker of the K-P assembly, but he was yet to give feedback.
Meanwhile, only 17 lawmakers – less than one third of the total strength – out of 65 lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly filed their dual nationality declarations to the secretary of the assembly.
Secretary Zahoor Ahmed told The Express Tribune that he had only received affidavits of 17 members of the provincial assembly so far; adding that nine members had filed them on Thursday, while eight filed the declaration on Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2012.
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These are all filthy RICH MPA'S. They MUST declare what is there NATIONALITY.
These POOR MPA's need an exit strategy. They are all insecure. Imagine these insecure MPA's making decisions for their people while they have given an oath when acquiring their new citizenship of being true to their new adopted country.