As many as two private member bills—including the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (Amendment of Article 130)—were introduced in Senate on Monday.
Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani referred both the bills to the concerned standing committees after putting the bill for voting.
The bills were moved by Senators Zaheer-ud-Din Babar Awan and Saeed Ghani in the house respectively.
Dr Babar introduced the bill in the house seeking bar on the dual nationality of the judges of superior judiciary.
He sought amendments in Articles 63, 177 and 193 of the constitution.
Statement and object of the bills say, in order to ensure the allegiance of the holder of highest public offices—like members of legislatures and higher judiciary—it is to be made incumbent upon them to have the exclusive citizenship of Pakistan. It would ensure their unfettered loyalty with the motherland which may otherwise probably be undermined with dual nationality.
However, Law Minister and Justice Zahid Hamid opposed the bill and said the judges of the superior courts have to renounce dual nationality before taking an oath.
Saeed Ghani sought amendment in Article 130 of the constitution, adding the proposed amendment would address the anomaly, and attribute a much effective role to advisors appointed under this article of the constitution.
