News
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Malik fails to produce certificate of UK nationality renouncementBy Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik on Monday failed to produce his British nationality renouncement certificate before the Supreme Court.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the case pertaining to lawmakers holding dual nationality. During the hearing, the court told Anwar Mansoor, the counsel for Malik, to refrain from making arguments on assumptions and provide proof of his client’s renouncement of British citizenship. The chief justice said that court does not recognise assumptions.
The counsel said Malik had applied for renunciation of British nationality on April 24, 2008, and had paid fee for it from the account of his wife Saeeda Rehman, but the name had wrongly been written Saeed Rehman. Justice Khilji Arif Hussain asked Mansoor, “Even if we suppose that fee was paid, what happened after that?” The counsel argued if his client had British citizenship why would he travel on Pakistani passport, and noted that several visas had been stamped on his Pakistani passport.
He argued that if someone acquired nationality of another country after becoming a parliamentarian then he/she would not lose their membership, but if the member held dual nationality before becoming a parliamentarian, then he stands disqualified.
The chief justice absorbed this was not a good argument and asked Mansoor to provide the attested relevant documents in accordance with the British law. Justice Khilji, meanwhile, asked the interior adviser’s counsel to desist from presenting assumptions and submit proof before the court if his client had renounced British citizenship.
Mansoor informed the court that the required documents could not be acquired so far. On this, the chief justice remarked that Malik was adviser to prime minister on interior, and could get the papers through the Pakistan High Commission. Justice Khawaja added that it seemed Malik did not want to submit the required documents. The court adjourned the hearing for Tuesday.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk