The dual nationality bill faced stiff opposition from all quarters when it was presented in the Senate on Tuesday.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, coalition partners and some members of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party expressed their reservations over the bill presented in the Senate by Law Minister Farooq Naik.
The PML-N and Awami National Party, which is an ally of the government, staged a walkout from the House to mark its protest against the bill. Earlier during the session, ANP Senator Haji Adeel said Pakistan’s agreements with 16 countries regarding dual nationality should be presented. Adeel questioned if someone who had Pakistani nationality could become the US president or a parliamentarian in another country.
Senior PPP leaders Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani also expressed their reservations over the bill.
Ahsan said when someone took oath as an American citizen they had to renounce other nationalities. “It is written in the US citizenship oath that a person can also take up arms in defence of the country.” Senator Rabbani asked for a review of the dual nationality agreement with the US. Reservations were also expressed by MQM Senator Tahir Mashadi, who said he would inform the standing committee about his reservations.
ANP’s Haji Adeel said he would not accept the chairman’s ruling of referring the bill to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice without permission of the House. This led to an exchange of harsh words between the two.
The opposition and the ANP said the government wanted to bulldoze the bill for the sake of some corrupt people.
Raja Zafarul Haq and other opposition members said the PPP was giving bogus arguments against the constitution framed by its leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
He questioned if a foreign government appointed a dual nationality holder to higher positions. He referred to Moeen Qureshi and Shaukat Aziz, holders of dual nationalities, who were made prime ministers and then left the country with their “briefcases”.
PML-N’s Zafar Ali Shah said referring the bill to the standing committee without a debate would be contrary to the constitution.
Other opposition members said if ZA Bhutto had been alive, he would not have allowed this amendment. Senate Chairman Nayyar Bukhari said in response to the PML-N’s opposition that they could put their viewpoints on the table in the standing committee. Farooq Naik also reinforced that the members could submit amendments in the bill in the standing committee debates and their suggestions would be willingly acknowledged.
“A direct result of this is that in those countries persons holding dual nationalities/citizenship can exercise the right of vote and can also run for parliamentary elections” Naik said, adding that, “Our country’s economy has always been considerably supported by overseas Pakistanis, whose allegiance to Pakistan should not be in doubt.” He said it had been a long-standing demand of the overseas Pakistanis that there should be no impediment in their way to run for elections for parliament and they were deeply concerned with events in Pakistan and were keen to play an effective role and wanted to contribute to national cause.
Later in the session, Senate Chairman Nayyer Bokhari referred the dual nationality bill to the parliamentary committee on law and justice. Also on Tuesday, a bill regarding review of Supreme Court decisions was presented in the National Assembly by MQM MNA Abdul Qadeer. The ANP outright announced not to support the bill. Senator Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbai also expressed their reservation over the bill. While presenting the draft, Qadeer said that if parliament found flaws or lacuna in the Supreme Court’s decision, it should have the right to discuss and review it.
Are we not bent upon creating issues afresh when we already have plenty around awaiting resolution. The number of Pakistanis holding duel nationality is small. There are no reliable figures available but I suspect it is no more than 500,000. In the UK over 95% persons of Pakistani origin (from appx.1 M) holding duel nationality are from AK. In the Europe their number is no more than 50,000. Out of these the 2nd and 3rd generation has no wish to come to Pakistan permanently given its geo, socio and political situation lased with religious strife. Further 99.9% Pakistanis working in the Middle East hold PK nationality. If at all this issue is so burning and important needing immediate attention then why not to establish a commission with properly drawn out terms of reference and asking for its recommendations for consideration in a more rational manner. But then it is a sensible approach and we as Pakistanis are not accustomed to it. For there is no sanity left . Rememer any law made to protect the interets of a minority is a bad law
NO! they should stay there asses here in Pakistan like the rest of the common folk and face the consequences of their dumb ass policies
Just one word. ” NO” …
No never
never.
PPP must think that Pakistanis are stupid. It is sooooooo obvious that the want to pass this ammendment just to benefit a few people and in the process destroy the future of the country by allowing foreigners to come in, rule, plunder and then leave without any repurcussions. By supporting this ammendment, ppp followers are also admitting that they are incapable of running the country and they need to turn towards foreigners to run it for them. Admitting you faults are the first step towards recovery 🙂 Maybe there hope for ppp followers.
This ammendment is an admission by the ppp leaders that they are incapable of running the country themselves and that they need foreigners to come in and run it for them.
yes they may allow but on some che ck points like how many year he is lived in pakistan. and how much he have assets on that other country. if he have some assets outside pakistan .. no never. a person can’t invest in pakistan cant’ make pakistan law
No, because when it comes to decisions which affect the lives of others than the immediate family it will cause conflict of interest,
Double nationality may mean double agents?,double spy? ,double conspirators?,malpracticing import and export?,importing traitors legally?,treasonnous patriotism? ,those who are sending huge remittances don not have double nationality but who are running industry,businessess and maintaining huge accounts out of country may have double nationality.. No one in the family of ruler should have double nationality.Doubled nationality will result looto aur phooto and commit crime and escape.
We support Overseas Pakistani should not hold public office in Pakistan ,Pakistan Media must expose ANP design why they're opposing this bill, ANP wants dual Nationality with Afghanistan, in this way all these 3 millions illegal Afghanis living in Pakistan for 30 years will get Pakistani Nationality,
And eventually almost all Afghanistan will hold Pakistani Passport, coz it’s essay to get Pakistani passport in Pakistan for any foreign citizen,
Pakistan Security establishment must stop PPP,MQM & ANP dangerous design against Pakistan Security.
Not at all. They can’t be loyal to two states.
A lot has been said in articles, columns, editorials, letters to editors and on channels in recent days about double nationality but the best and the most important thought provoking article is that from Saleem Safi in his column on 7 July 2012. Those who want to toe the Government line more particularly whose party brethren have been affected by the SC decision or are likely to be affected emphasis how debarring these double nationality holders would adversely affect the inflow of remittances from abroad. These voices claim that these dual nationality holders are sending major chunk of the foreign exchange which is the lifeline of Pakistan. This is what Fouzia Wahab holding her furious press conference, as is usual with PPP leaders to make lies, aftermath of Raymond Davis flying out of Pakistan without passport, argued trying to create fear amongst the public. She stated that we should not forget that 70% of the foreign exchange was coming from USA and from rest of the world only 30%.
Make the law , while it you are not fully obliged to it. Perfect I say.
no, never
are they not Pakistani, Are they not helping pakistan, are they not working aboard for pakistan. I think they should allow to vote and be elected to represent them and there issues. But they shouldn’t given any ministry or any other position of authority until the cancellation of dual nationality.
A big fat No
NO! they should stay there asses here in Pakistan like the rest of the common folk and face the consequences of their dumb ass policies
Just one word. " NO" …
No never
never.
no
yes they may allow but on some che ck points like how many year he is lived in pakistan. and how much he have assets on that other country. if he have some assets outside pakistan .. no never. a person can't invest in pakistan cant' make pakistan law
No, because when it comes to decisions which affect the lives of others than the immediate family it will cause conflict of interest,
Double nationality may mean double agents?,double spy? ,double conspirators?,malpracticing import and export?,importing traitors legally?,treasonnous patriotism? ,those who are sending huge remittances don not have double nationality but who are running industry,businessess and maintaining huge accounts out of country may have double nationality.. No one in the family of ruler should have double nationality.Doubled nationality will result looto aur phooto and commit crime and escape.
Not at all. They can't be loyal to two states.
Make the law , while it you are not fully obliged to it. Perfect I say.
The dual nationality or even single nationality is not that imp. The imp fact is the person living in Pakistan for say a couple of years. There are very rich Pakistanis whose families spend summers in their palaces in Europe or American but they are Pakistanis when it comes to claim their prizes. The imp thing is the person living in Pakistan and if dual national then give up his/her other nationality if people still elect them. There should be no bitterness or haltered about this issue it is all within the Pakistani countrymen. Those who keep talking about civilian dictatorship and PPP’s dictatorial policies should eat a crow. Yesterday senior leader Taj Haider had differed with the party and now two more senior leaders are talking independently. This shows a progressive secular and independent party can work in Pakistan. Yet in the many judges of PCO SC there is never any independent thinking and difference of opinion!
Pakistani nationals who have dual nationality of Britain are members of parliament in UK, like Chaudhry Sarwar, his son, Lord Nazir, Baroness Warsi and few others.
Many Pakistan nationals are integral part of British political system at various levels. Hundreds of Pakistani national takes part in British elections at various tiers of the democratic system. Thousands of Pakistani residents in UK who are even not British citizens are registered voters by virtue of their residence or as Common Wealth Citizens.
Pakistani constitution is containing many articles which make it a deficit democratic and federal constitution. Restrictions for dual nationals to take part in elections is one and be amended, it would make Pakistani constitution more democratic.
Millions of Americans refused to support their government when USA attacked Iraq. Their oath or pledge didn’t come in their way. I hope millions of Pakistanis will also oppose their government if Pakistan fights an unjust war. Dual nationality opponents argue that during war, these dual nationals might support Pakistan’s enemy. May I ask them, Pakistan has declared war against terrorists but millions of single nationality holders are not only opposing this war, they are fighting against Pakistan. Are these single nationality holders are traitors too?
For all those who are against dual nationality must also stop getting funds from overseas. When a foreign national cannot contest elections in Pakistan due to his/her oath to the new homeland then all their donations would be to support their new country. The parties raising big monies in foreign countries must be stopped ASAP, and their fund raising activities made illegal. Foreign citizens are not good for Pakistan so their agents should not be good for Pakistan as well. We cannot have it both ways and parties run by foreign money cannot be patriotic. To avoid all these issues let the Pakistanis keep their birth right and full citizenship.
There is no need to make fuss over dual nationality issue. There are above 80 countries which do not bar their citizens to hold dual nationality. I felicitate PPP efforts to come up with a solution through parliamentary process. The sorry saga of dual nationality is just an attempt to undermine the supremacy of parliament. The case of dual nationality held by parliamentarians is a confusing one because on one hand, dual nationals have been given the right to vote in elections, while on the other hand, they have no right to contest them. This is an ironic situation indeed. Even well-established democracies of the world have no issue with public office-holders who are dual nationals. Arnold Schwarznegger retained his Austrian citizenship during his service as the governor of California. Former Canadian Prime Minister John Turner was a dual citizen born in the UK. Parliament should decide the issue and legislate on it as we have practical examples of established democracies of the world allowing dual nationals the right to sit in parliament.
no, never
are they not Pakistani, Are they not helping pakistan, are they not working aboard for pakistan. I think they should allow to vote and be elected to represent them and there issues. But they shouldn't given any ministry or any other position of authority until the cancellation of dual nationality.
Never
Never
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