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Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Bill seeks removal of dual nationals from govt service, parliament
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The Private Members’ Day in parliament on Tuesday witnessed tabling of a bill by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Raza Hayat Hiraj seeking the disqualification of dual-nationality holders for the services of Pakistan, parliament as well as provincial assemblies.
Introducing the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill, 2011 in the House, Hiraj said that under the proposed amendment no person possessing dual nationality, foreign accounts and property abroad would be eligible for holding a public office or becoming a member of parliament or provincial assemblies.
Federal Minister for Religious Minister, Syed Khursheed Shah, pointed out that the disqualification of a person for having foreign accounts needed to be defined correctly as one might have an account abroad in connection with educational pursuits and medical treatment. “The government has no objection, whatsoever, to the bill, because no member from the treasury side has any account in foreign countries,” he said.
“What the minister will say about the foreign accounts of President Asif Ali Zardari and the late PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto,” PML-Q’s Engineer Amir Muqam retorted. Earlier, Hiraj said that it was the defining moment to set the criteria for public officer holders. He called for making it mandatory for whosoever intending to join politics to come without foreign accounts or a property and a dual nationality. Acting Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi referred the bill to the standing committee concerned for consideration.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk
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