Under immense pressure to protect its dual national lawmakers, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday initiated negotiations with coalition partners to seek their support for getting the bill passed from parliament that seeks setting aside the bar on dual nationals from becoming lawmakers. In the first instance, the MQM leadership has approached the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Jamaat-e-Islami to gather support for the bill. A source in the PML-Q, requesting anonymity, said the MQM delegation in its meeting with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain sought his party’s support for the controversial Dual Nationality Bill 2012 meant to protect dual national legislators. However, MQM spokesman Wasay Jalil told Pakistan Today that the dual nationality bill was not on the agenda. The MQM is already in a tight corner following the suspension of the membership of MNA Farhat Mohammad Khan and Sindh Assembly member Nadia Gabol by the apex court in dual nationality case. Moreover, the only supporter of the MQM in the PPP, Interior Adviser Rehman Malik, has also been in dire need of such legal protection as he has yet to present a certificate in the apex court to confirm the revocation of his British nationality, though he has already been re-elected to the Senate. Farahnaz Ispahani, spouse of Husain Haqqani, is also facing suspension of her membership for having dual nationality. The MQM Rabita Committee had issued a statement on June 27 to extend public support to the government’s dual nationality bill, stating that the MQM welcomed the prime minister’s initiative to propose legislation terming it “a good and virtuous step”. “The MQM delegation conveyed a message from MQM chief Altaf Hussain and sought the assistance of the PML-Q over the dual nationality bill. Dr Farooq Sattar also told Shujaat that his party had also taken up the issue with President Asif Ali Zardari who had asked them to consult other two major coalition partners, the PML-Q and Awami National Party (ANP), as the PPP lacked the required strength to get the bill passed,” the source said. The PML-Q and ANP have both opposed the Dual Nationality Bill 2012 and have sought some amendments. Through their amendments, both parties have suggested that any dual national would have to revoke his/her foreign nationality after being elected. Following opposition by both coalition partners, the PPP had decided to shelve the dual nationality bill for good. But source said the MQM wanted the PML-Q to support the bill in its original form and the delegation urged Shujaat to review his stance as there were millions of overseas Pakistanis who wanted to contest elections in their home country – Pakistan. An MQM source said the decision had been made to consult other political parties, even those having no representation in parliament, to build pressure on the ruling party. “The PPP leadership knows that we have to save at least our four more dual national lawmakers from suspension”.
