PILDAT hails ECP decision on dual nationality

Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has welcomed the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the steps taken for banning foreign nationality holders from contesting next General Election. The addition of a column about foreign nationality and permanent residential statement in a foreign country in the declaration part of the Nomination Forms will greatly enhance the usefulness of these declarations, said a press release issued hear on Friday.
It also demanded that, in addition, the ECP should initiate the formal process for candidates in the next General Election to declare if they hold the status of permanent residence, such as the US green card, in any country other than Pakistan.
Such public declaration and the availability of this information to public and media through the ECP website, ahead of the day of General Election, will be greatly helpful to the voters in deciding about the suitability of a candidate in the election. PILDAT also pointed out that the Nomination Form as provided under the Representation of People Act requires the declaration of useful information about a candidate such as the Educational Qualification, List of criminal cases, amount of income tax, land revenue paid, Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the Candidate, etc.
This information is meant for voters to enable them to make informed choices about their representatives in the Election. PILDAT urged the ECP to post all such declarations on the ECP website before Election Day, so that these are available in time to general public, media and, above all, to voters.
PILDAT also urged the Government of Pakistan to expeditiously pass the required legislation in this regard as recommended by the ECP in order to create a comprehensive mechanism to implement the constitutional provisions such as article 63-1(c) which disqualifies a person from becoming or being a member of the Parliament who holds or becomes a foreign national, and to operationalise the decision of the ECP in this regard. The bold decisions such as the one regarding the foreign nationalities of the intending parliamentarians, will go a long way in enhancing the credibility of the ECP, PILDAT said.