EC seeks legal advice about dual nationality politicians

Election Commission of Pakistan. – File Photo by AFP ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has sought the advice of law ministry on whether or not it can compel politicians to reveal the details of the citizenships and nationalities they may have acquired at the time of submission of their nomination papers for elections, an official close to the development told Dawn. He said that under the existing law, candidates could not be asked for such information. However, if the law ministry provides support, a column seeking such information could be added to the form candidates are required to fill out to contest polls. Up till now, the prescribed form which a candidate provides to the returning officer as his/her nomination papers does not carry such a column; hence, the Election Commission has no such data. Likewise, neither parliament (National Assembly and Senate) nor provincial assemblies are in possession of this information. When the National Assembly Secretariat was asked about the number of lawmakers who possessed double nationalities, its Public Relations Director General Anjum Mughul said the house did not have access to this information. He said the National Assembly only kept a brief bio-data of all its members that was voluntarily provided. Otherwise, he added, there was no compulsion. In reply to a question, Mr Mughal said: "Whenever there is a foreign trip we make arrangements for parliamentarians' travel documents, including visas. However, certain members prefer taking care of their own travelling arrangements and in this case we don't know if they carry a foreign passport." He said it was not their job to be concerned with this information, adding that it was up to the Election Commission to look into such matter. However, when a senior official of the Election Commission was contacted he said that in the absence of a legal bar on parliamentarians holding other nationalities, the commission could not do anything. He thought a process has now been initiated for the purpose, but it all depended on the law ministry what kind of advice it would forward to the commission. The official, who requested not to be named, said it would not be an easy decision because a number of influential people in the country had double nationalities and they would not allow this to happen. The National Assembly last week allowed discussion on a private member bill which, if made into a parliament act, the people having dual nationalities or properties/bank accounts in foreign countries will not be allowed to become members of parliament and provincial assemblies and hold any public office. Raza Hayat Hiraj of the PML-Q, who presented the bill which is now with a house committee, claimed that some five per cent members of parliament would be affected by the bill. Through the bill he asked how could a person who had taken oath of allegiance to some other country be trusted with responsibilities of national importance. Speaking on a recent TV talk show, Mr Hiraj, who is hopeful of grabbing a ministry in the now imminent coalition government, pledged that if his party after coming into power didn't support the bill, he would resign from the house.