Dual nationalities: Petition challenging SAPMs appointment filed before IHC

ISLAMABAD: A writ petition challenging the appointment of the special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs) having dual nationalities has been filed before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Chairman Pakistan Justice Party (PJP) Malik Munsif Awan Advocate filed the petition through his counsel Muhammad Ikram Chaudhary Advocate, and cited the federation through secretary Law and Justice, secretary Election Commission of Pakistan, secretary Cabinet Division, secretary Establishment Division, the SAPMs including Nadeem Babar, Abdul Razaq Dawood, Shahzad Qasim, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Tania S Aidrus, Shahbaz Gill, Dr Moeed Yusuf, and Nadeem Afzal as respondents.

The petitioner said the Cabinet Division recently issued details of assets and dual nationalities of 20 advisers and the SAPMs.

According to the Cabinet Division's notification out of 19 non-elected cabinet members, four special assistants to PM hold dual nationalities, Nadeem Babar (US), Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari (United Kingdom), Shahzad Qasim (US), and Tania S Aidrus (Canada).

He added that among those holding residency of other counties included Shahbaz Gill (US), Moeed Yusuf (US), Nadeem Afzal (Canada), and Tania Aidrus (Singapore).

The petitioner maintained that they all sit in cabinet meetings against legal and constitutional mandate. He further said that in a poverty-stricken and debt-ridden nuclear state with billions in debts, appointment of foreign nationals who had taken oath of allegiance to countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada, and others, on key posts of national interest was a matter of surprise and great concern, confidentiality, and violation of law and Constitution.

He argued that with so many enemies prying to eliminate Pakistan and cap its nuclear assets, how could one expect to have unbiased and honest advice from those foreign nationals on matters such as national security, economy, digitization and planning, future prospects, political and parliamentary affairs. Munsif contended that what mechanism had been devised to ensure that there was no pilferage of sensitive information on part of these individuals/ respondents who had taken oath of allegiance to other countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020