NA committee: Bill seeking to lift poll bar on dual nationals rejected

Legislation tabled by MQM was opposed by other political parties

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights rejected on Friday the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2014, which proposed lifting the ban on dual nationality holders from contesting parliamentary elections.

The amendment bill was tabled by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker SA Iqbal Qadri in the National Assembly during the previous NA session, and recommended to amend Article 63 of the Constitution to lift the bar on contesting parliamentary provincial assembly elections for dual nationals.

He said overseas Pakistanis were country’s assets, who have made significant contributions to the Pakistan economy through remittances; hence, any discriminatory law will be against the spirit of patriotism.

Headed by its chairman Chaudhry Bashir Virk, the standing committee’s seven out of eight members, however, rejected the bill.

The law ministry, in its brief presented to the committee, contended that there may be conflict of interest in case of a person having dual nationality.

There is no bar on a person having dual nationality to cast his vote in Pakistan. However, this situation may not be conducive to good political order, the ministry added.

The law ministry also referred to Article 191 of the Constitution of India, which says that a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as a member of legislative assembly or state council if he acquired citizenship of a foreign state.

The constitutional amendment was opposed by members belonging to other political parties except MQM lawmakers and mover of the bill, S A Iqbal Qadri.

Meanwhile, expressing its displeasure over poor performance, the committee asked Human Rights Wing to pinpoint laws that are against the fundamental rights.

Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act

The committee unanimously approved two amendments in the section 41 and 54 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973, to further regulate the disciplinary proceedings in the cases of grave professional misconduct and to prescribe the period for expeditious disposal of complaints.

Amendment in section 54 requires that the Bar Council concerned on receipt of a complaint from the Court shall ensure that it is decided within a period of three months by its disciplinary committee.

The amendment in section 41 empowers a disciplinary committee of the bar council while referring the matter to the tribunal to suspend an advocate for the maximum period of three months in case of grave indiscipline or professional misconduct by any lawyer.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2014.