Hasty legislation: Bill seeking strict punishment for dual nationals introduced

Calls for stripping Pak citizenship if guilty of ‘unconstitutional activity’.

ISLAMABAD:

With only 10 working days left, the National Assembly received a bill from a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) proposing stripping off dual nationals of their Pakistani citizenship if they are found guilty of “unconstitutional activity”.

Shireen Arshad Khan from the PML-N on Tuesday introduced the bill in her personal capacity (known as a private member bill) seeking further amendments in the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951.

The bill, which proposes strict punishment for dual national, seeks the insertion of a new section 14-C in Ordinance II of 1951 that reads: “If a citizen of Pakistan taking oath of another country indulges himself in any unconstitutional activity, he shall make himself liable for being deprived of his Pakistani citizenship.”

According to the procedure, the bill has to go to the relevant standing committee and after its approval, can be presented only on Tuesday (being a private member bill). However, chances of its passage seem limited as the lower house would have its last sitting on March 12. The decision was taken by the Business Advisory Committee, headed by Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza.

Meanwhile, the Awami National Party (ANP) once again objected to the rapid legislation on the last days of the assembly, saying there should not have to be undue haste in lawmaking.

Bushra Gohar, who had asked the government to delay the DHA bill for her party’s perusal the other day, objected to the passage of a bill seeking the establishment of the Capital University Islamabad as it was done by suspending the rules.

“Why are we rushing to pass bills? We still have time for proper legislation. We are not against education but we are expressing our reservation on such legislation,” said Gohar.

Yasmeen Rehman from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had introduced the bill after which rules were suspended and leave was granted to put the bill up for voting (on the same day) without sending it to the relevant standing committee for  discussion. Later on, the bill was successfully passed.

Though Minister for Technical Education and Vocational Training Sheikh Waqas Akram did not oppose the bill and allowed the member to put it for voting, he admitted to having no information about the bill whatsoever.

Gohar contended that the house should be given time to go through the bill before its passage because legislation in haste would kill its spirit.

Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah, however, rejected the objections, saying the government was not in a hurry.

The government’s attempt to get the Pakistan Psychological Regulatory Authority (PPRA) passed in a similar fashion was thwarted by PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal when he identified various lacunas in the bill.

Earlier, responding to a call-attention notice moved by MQM members regarding the illegal supply of explosives, especially in Karachi, State Minister for Interior Imtiaz Safdar Warraich told the house that apart from local groups of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), there was evidence of foreign involvement in disturbing Karachi.

He said that the TTP had been scattered in different parts of the country after losing hold in Swat and added that some 61 accused had been arrested whereas explosive material of 209 kilograms was recovered last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2013.