Check travel itineraries of those who lied about giving up passports: PTI
Party claims they had submitted false affidavits to the ECP and can still contest polls.
PTI suspects that these lawmakers submitted false affidavits that they had given up their dual nationality. PHOTO: PPI / FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The future of around two dozen lawmakers hangs in the balance over the dual nationality row as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) went to the Election Commission, asking it to bar them from contesting the next elections.
The party has said that even though these elected representatives had resigned because they held dual nationality, there was nothing stopping them from standing in the elections again in a few months. The party suspects that these lawmakers submitted false affidavits that they had given up their dual nationality.
This can be simply proven by getting the Federal Investigation Agency to check their travel itineraries, argues the PTI. This will help the election commission look into lawmakers who have been travelling abroad on other passports since they resigned.
Their cases would be referred to the sessions judges under the Representation of the People Act, 1976 so they can be barred from contesting the upcoming polls.
PTI leader Ishaq Khakwani gave the election commission a list of 21 former members of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies, including four sitting members, on Monday. He urged it to take immediate action against them.
The commission has already told district and session judges to wrap up all dual nationality cases within three months in time for the next polls. The commission had asked lawmakers to give it fresh affidavits, declaring that they did not violate Article 63 of the Constitution which lists violations that lead to disqualification.
“Lawmakers, who resigned over the dual nationality row, could face a seven-year ban under the existing election commission laws,” said the commission’s former secretary, Kanwar Dilshad.
Under Sections 78 and 81 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, the commission can direct a district and sessions judge to tackle lawmakers who lied. “If they are found guilty, the judge can award them a three-year punishment,” Dilshad said.
The list of former lawmakers includes the names of adviser to the prime minister on petroleum Dr Asim Hussain and the MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2013.
The future of around two dozen lawmakers hangs in the balance over the dual nationality row as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) went to the Election Commission, asking it to bar them from contesting the next elections.
The party has said that even though these elected representatives had resigned because they held dual nationality, there was nothing stopping them from standing in the elections again in a few months. The party suspects that these lawmakers submitted false affidavits that they had given up their dual nationality.
This can be simply proven by getting the Federal Investigation Agency to check their travel itineraries, argues the PTI. This will help the election commission look into lawmakers who have been travelling abroad on other passports since they resigned.
Their cases would be referred to the sessions judges under the Representation of the People Act, 1976 so they can be barred from contesting the upcoming polls.
PTI leader Ishaq Khakwani gave the election commission a list of 21 former members of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies, including four sitting members, on Monday. He urged it to take immediate action against them.
The commission has already told district and session judges to wrap up all dual nationality cases within three months in time for the next polls. The commission had asked lawmakers to give it fresh affidavits, declaring that they did not violate Article 63 of the Constitution which lists violations that lead to disqualification.
“Lawmakers, who resigned over the dual nationality row, could face a seven-year ban under the existing election commission laws,” said the commission’s former secretary, Kanwar Dilshad.
Under Sections 78 and 81 of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, the commission can direct a district and sessions judge to tackle lawmakers who lied. “If they are found guilty, the judge can award them a three-year punishment,” Dilshad said.
The list of former lawmakers includes the names of adviser to the prime minister on petroleum Dr Asim Hussain and the MQM’s deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2013.