Dual nationality case, SC suspends membership of another PPP lawmaker | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Dual nationality case, SC suspends membership of another PPP lawmaker

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday suspended the membership of another Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) parliamentarian, Zahid Iqbal, for holding dual nationality.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain is hearing a petition seeking disqualification of lawmakers holding dual nationality.

The court further observed that the order regarding suspension of the PPP MNA should be sent to National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza.

The court has already suspended memberships of PPP Senator Rehman Malik, MNA Farahnaz Ispahani, Punjab Assembly member Amna Buttar, Sindh Assembly member Dr Ahmed Ali and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Muhammad Ikhlaq.

The petitioner, Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi, had pointed out that as the court had already suspended the membership of some parliamentarians holding dual nationality, Zahid Iqbal’s membership should also be cancelled on the same basis. Everyone should be treated equally, according to Article 25 of the constitution, he had maintained.

National Assembly member Jamil Malik also appeared before the court and submitted his statement. He said he was not a citizen, but a national of Holland; on which the chief justice questioned, “How can one be a national without being a citizen?”

MNA Farhat Khan, MPA Nadia Gabol, MPA Ashraf Chouhan, MPA Wasim Qadir and MPA Nadeem Qadir were again issued notices to appear before the court

Daily Time