Dual nationality holders stranger to parliament: Supreme Court

04 Oct, 2014

A Supreme Court judge on Friday observed that dual nationality holder parliamentarians would have to return all the pecuniary benefits, which they had received as members of the house. Resuming the hearing of identical review petitions relating to a dual nationality matter, a three-member bench of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja also remarked that dual nationality holders were stranger to Parliament "who deceptively entered the system."
Appearing on behalf of his clients, Mian Abdul Rauf urged the court to review its verdict that dual nationality holder parliamentarians would have to pay back all the pecuniary benefits which they had received being members of the house. Mian Rauf contended that his clients received financial benefits in return to services they provided during their tenure in the house, adding that compensation once received could not be returned.
To which, Justice Khawaja observed that it does not come under purview of the merit of the case. He asked: how people who were stranger to parliament could receive financial compensation?
The court was about to dismiss the review petitions but senior lawyer Wasim Sajjad, a counsel for Farrah Naz Isphani, requested the bench to hear all the petitioners of the case. Accepting the plea of Sajjad, the bench adjourned the hearing of matter for three weeks.

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