Dual nationality: Solely Pakistanis, pledge Sindh’s 100 MPAs

KARACHI:

A majority of Sindh’s elected representatives have sworn that they do not have dual nationalities, thereby dodging being disqualified under newly reinforced rules. 

The vetting started a few days ago after the chief election commissioner asked members to prove their status.

“We received a letter from the secretary of the Sindh Assembly to confirm if I have only one nationality,” said MPA Arif Mustafa Jatoi. “Our party’s three MPAs have taken an oath denying dual nationality.”

Out of 167 Sindh members, around 100 members have gone through the process. Two lawmakers, Dr Ahmed Ali Shah and Nadia Gabol, have already been disqualified for holding dual nationalities.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim tasked the speaker of the National Assembly, the chairman of the Senate and provincial assemblies with sending a record of lawmakers denying they had dual nationality. He had warned that he could write foreign embassies on the status of lawmakers belonging to Pakistan if parliament and the assemblies failed to follow his orders.

Among those who submitted their undertakings in Sindh were Sharjeel Inam Memon, Saleem Khursheed Khokhar, Humera Alwani, Ali Nawaz Shah, Dr Sikandar Mandhro, Imdad Pitafi, Pir Mazhar-ul Haq, Rafique Engineer, Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto of the PPP, Syed Sardar Ahmed, Raza Haroon, Faisal Subzwari, Heer Ismail Soho and Rauf Siddiqui of the MQM, Ameer Nawab, Amanullah Mehsud of the ANP, Jam Madad, Rafique Banbhan, Nusrat Seher Abbassi, Marvi Rashdi of the PML-F, Masroor Jatoi and Abid Jatoi of the NPP.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2012.