Dual nationality saga: After lawmakers, bureaucrats asked to submit affidavits

ISLAMABAD:

While the focus of the dual nationality controversy has been lawmakers, the country’s bureaucracy is now next in line.

The establishment division has sought an affidavit from civil servants asking them to testify if they are dual nationals or not, the Express Investigation Cell (EIC) has learnt.

The District Management Group (DMG), a general management cadre of the civil services, as well as the Secretariat Group have been advised to submit a written affidavit regarding their nationality to the establishment division.

A three-page document has been sent to the DMG and Secretariat group in this regard.

The circular, a copy of which was made available to the EIC, stated that the bureaucrats must “submit the required information to the establishment division at the earliest.”

This, however, means that no deadline has been set for the civil servants to submit the required information.

The document also asks the civil servants to testify as to whether they have ever applied for any nationality other than Pakistani.

They have been directed to write their name, designation, and date of joining the civil service along with formally signing the affidavit before submitting it to the establishment division.

The circular seeking an affidavit on dual nationality from the bureaucracy has been forwarded to Islamabad’s chief commissioner, and the chief secretaries of four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Although it is next to impossible to check the nationality status of any lawmaker or bureaucrat unless they come forward to declare their dual nationality themselves, the circular has caused some concern amongst the civil service.

A senior bureaucrat who received the circular termed the establishment division’s move “a new game to harass the bureaucracy”. Seeking an affidavit from bureaucracy will ultimately caused panic among its ranks and hinder their work, he added.

The Supreme Court has ruled that dual nationals do not have the right to become legislators or lead the nation. A total of 11 legislators were disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan as a result.

According to reports, however, some political parties have made efforts to protect dual nationality holders in parliament.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2012.