Dual nationality: petitioner seeks disqualification of parliamentarians

The Supreme Court Friday accepted a petition for regular hearing and issued notices to the respondents. The petitioner has sought disqualification of the parliamentarians holding dual nationality. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez directed respondents to furnish their reply by March 12.
The petition has been filed by United Human Rights Commission's Vice Chairman Syed Mahmood Akhtar under Article 184 (3) of the constitution, making the federation and all provincial governments and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) respondents. The petitioner requested the court to direct the ECP to obtain complete record of parliamentarians holding dual nationalities. He further pleaded the court to disqualify such parliamentarians and restrain them from contesting the next general election.
The petitioner contended that overseas Pakistanis could not become members of parliament under Article 62 of the constitution. Likewise, he stated that according to Section 14 of the Pakistan Citizen Act, 1951, "if anyone is holding another country's nationality, his nationality in Pakistan will be suspended". The petition stated that according to media reports more than 35 legislators possessed dual nationals in violation of constitution.