SC orders ECP to halt notifications of senators-elect with dual nationality

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to halt the notification announcing the victory of four individuals in Saturday’s Senate elections for possessing dual nationalities.

While hearing a case pertaining to dual citizenship of judges and civil servants, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar earlier today also noted that senators holding dual nationalities were elected in the recent elections of the Upper House, however, he said he was unaware of their names.

The court ordered to halt the notification after the attorney general informed the court that four senators, namely, Sadia Abassi, Haroon Akhtar, Nuzhat Sadiq and Chaudhry Sarwar, hold dual nationality.

Sarwar belongs to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while the other three are from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The apex court has issued notices to the four senators to clarify their positions after the ECP said some of them had already submitted affidavits to the commission giving up their dual nationality.

The court, however, said the senators still need to appear and clear their records.

Earlier today, the secretary establishment informed the apex court that 22 ministries are part of the 43 divisions.

According to a report submitted to the Supreme Court, the number of civil servants holding dual nationalities is 64 in Punjab, five in Sindh, nine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), eight in Balochistan, 28 in Azad Kashmir, and one in Gilgit Baltistan.

Justice Nisar, during the hearing, said that any civil servant found guilty of hiding information about dual citizenship will be removed from their position. He also noted that judges of the apex court were not allowed to hold dual nationalities due to the sensitive nature of their job.

He said that the data pertaining to dual citizenship of government officers was very important.

Questioning the number of dual citizens in the prime minister's secretariat, the CJP summoned the premier's principal secretary

Senators refuse allegation

Chaudhry Sarwar said he had given up his dual nationality in 2013. He stated the same in a tweet today.

PML-N leader Saad Rafique also tweeted that Nuzhat Sadiq had given up her US citizenship in 2012.

Nuzhat confirmed the same while talking to Geo News.

Senate election

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) backed independent candidates bagged 15 Senate seats across the country in the elections for the upper house of the parliament, held on March 3.

The opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which was in control of Senate, managed to bag 10 seats from Sindh and two from KP.

Moreover, PTI bagged five seats from KP. The party won three general seats and one each in the woman and technocrat category. In addition, Chaudhry Sarwar won a seat in the general category from Punjab