Former MNA blows whistle on ‘dual national’ MPs

In an open letter to the chief justice of Pakistan on Monday, former National Assembly member (MNA) Begum Shehnaz Sheikh submitted a list of lawmakers with dual nationalities, alleging that all dual national lawmakers were not equally treated. Belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Sheikh’s assembly membership was suspended by the Supreme Court in October 2012 for holding Australian nationality in addition to Pakistani citizenship. In her letter, Sheikh requested the court to put the procedure – aimed at reimbursing benefits enjoyed by dual national MNAs – on hold until the final verdict on the case. The letter listed the names of 20 dual national lawmakers, adding that some of those continued to remain at their posts. The list included the names of Asim Hussain, Raza Haroon, Shaheen Rizvi, Tayib Hussain, Fauzia Ejaz and Jameel Ashraf. The former PML-Q lawmaker alleged that she had not been justly dealt with despite her resignation. She further claimed that all dual national lawmakers had not been equally treated, adding that all dual national lawmakers were not asked to return all the monetary benefits drawn during the period of occupying the public office, including monthly remunerations, TA/DA and facilities of accommodation, along with other perks. The suspended lawmaker requested the court to stop all proceedings of reimbursement of monetary benefits until a decision was given on the review petition filed against the court’s judgment of disqualifying 11 members of parliament and provincial assemblies for holding dual nationality.