ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended the national and provincial assembly memberships of two members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), DawnNews reported.
The National Assembly membership of Farhat Mahmood and the Sindh Assembly membership of Nadia Gabol were suspended by the apex court during Wednesday's hearing of the dual nationality case.
A three-judge bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain was hearing the case relating to legislators holding dual nationality.
The court in its order ruled that the two lawmakers had been summoned three times but had failed to appear for the hearings. It moreover said that the two held nationalities of foreign countries and were therefore not qualified to become members of the national and provincial assemblies.
Jameel Malik’s counsel argues
Counsel for Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s Jameel Malik, Imtiaz Siddiqui, also presented his arguments before the court.
Earlier on Tuesday, the bench had suspended the National Assembly membership of PML-N’s Malik for holding dual nationality.
Jameel Malik had conceded before the court that he also held Dutch nationality.
During today’s hearing, Siddiqui argued that in the Netherlands, nationality was different from citizenship.
After which Chief Justice Iftikhar remarked that the counsel should produce the statute which distinguishes between citizenship and nationality.
Siddiqui further stated that there was no concept of citizenship in the Netherlands.
Upon which, Justice Khawaja said: “We are not comprehending the difference between citizenship and nationality.”
The counsel also submitted Jameel Malik’s written reply in the Supreme Court.
FIA concedes to erring over MPA Alwana
During the hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) apologised over confirming false allegations against MPA Tariq Alwana which said that the Punjab Assembly member held dual nationality.
Chief Justice Iftikhar expressed displeasure over the provision of “erroneous information” on Alwana’s travel details.
The court ordered the registration of cases and inquiries against the FIA's director general and director legal.
During a previous hearing, Alwana had informed the court that he had never travelled to any country, except Saudi Arabia. When a copy of an American passport allegedly belonging to him was shown to him, he had said that the picture on the passport showed it was not his.
