This is with reference to the lead news that the Supreme Court has temporarily suspended the interior minister as a member of parliament for being a British national (“British connection lands suspension” – 05 Jun).
Malik was holding dual nationality when he submitted his papers to contest the Senate elections and therefore was ineligible to contest the Upper House polls.
The Election Commission of Pakistan did not bother to investigate the case. When the apex court took notice of this grave constitutional violation, he claimed before the apex court that he had renounced his British nationality in 2008 but actually he has done so May-Jun 2012.
After being unseated, he has again been appointed an advisor to PM on interior affairs. Is he so indispensable that president/prime minister can find no one capable to hold the office of the interior minister? His immediate appointment as an advisor is not in good taste. It is deliberate and open defiance of the decision of the apex court apart from ridiculing the court.
This is second time that government has ridiculed the decisions of the court. On 17 May, 2010, Lahore High Court dismissed the appeal filed by Rehman Malik against his conviction by accountability court and sentenced him to three years prison in corruption cases. As soon as he was awarded the punishment, there was a presidential pardon announced. How long this drama will go on? The government is setting a very wrong trend because such actions are not acceptable in any civilised society. It is not a question of saving an individual but the system. But it seems individuals in this hapless republic are more important than the collective.
MUKHTAR AHMED
Karachi
