May 12, 2006	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 11: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Government Assurances on Thursday rejected the bill to amend Pakistan Citizenship Act terming it against the national interest, sources told Dawn.

The committee, which met here to review the bill, moved jointly by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) MNA Mehnaz Rafi, rejected the bill after the Directorate General Immigration and Passports and other quarters concerned, including the provincial governments, expressed their reservations on the document.

Through the bill, the movers had called for inserting new section 10-A in the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 (II of 1951) after Section 10 which stated that “a man who married to a woman citizen of Pakistan shall be entitled to apply for being registered as a citizen of Pakistan after fulfilling the same condition as are required for a woman under Section 10 of this Act.”

According to the sources, the committee members were informed that the law, justice and human rights division was also consulted for their views on the bill and it also opposed it after examining the reservations expressed by the Directorate General Immigration and Passports and provincial governments.

According to a brief provided to the members after the meeting, following reasons were assigned by the concerned quarters for their opposition to the bill:

1) Foreign women marrying Pakistani husbands cannot be equated with foreign men marrying Pakistani women in our society.

2) It would add legal stay of a large number of illegal immigrants residing in Pakistan and also increase their influx.

3) Unemployment ratio would add to the problem.

4) The foreign husband after marrying a Pakistani woman and obtaining Pakistani nationality would be free to divorce Pakistani woman and move freely anywhere in Pakistan.

5) It would be a blanket approval for all the foreign nationals to marry Pakistani women and obtain Pakistani nationality.

6) Majority of persons would misuse the provision especially illegal immigrants like Afghan refugees, Bengalis, Beharis and other South Asian states/countries who do not intend to return to their countries.

7) Apart from social/economic implications, the provision can also be used by any foreign country to plant their agents in Pakistan.

8) The citizenship rights like entitlement to vote, seek appointment to constitutional posts and equal opportunities in matters of public appointments may be weighed with their political or national interests.

9) The proposed amendment may be assessed on the touchstone of Indo-Pakistan relations. It will provide legal ingress to Indian male citizens into Pakistan.