ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights rejected on Wednesday a part of a draft bill which recommended that permission be granted to holders of dual nationality to contest elections for parliament.

The Twenty-Fourth Amendment Bill-2014 which was introduced by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had proposed that the right to vote as well as contest elections be granted to Pakistanis holding dual nationality.

The committee approved one part of the proposed bill, thereby accepting the right of Pakistanis with dual nationality to vote. However, it rejected the part dealing with their right to contest elections.

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The bill, piloted by MQM’s S.A. Iqbal Qadri in the assembly in October, had sought amendments to Articles 51, 63 and 106 of the Constitution.

“A majority of the members rejected the provision of allowing dual nationality for parliamentarians,” Mr Qadri told Dawn.

He said his party had contacted other parties before the committee meeting.

The MQM legislators had suggested that an ‘explanation’ be added to Article 51 which dealt with the criteria for a voter in general elections.

“It is hereby clarified that the right of a citizen of Pakistan to vote shall remain unaffected in case the citizen of Pakistan acquires the nationality/citizenship of any country permitted under the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951, or any other successor law in force or any letter, order, notification, rule or subordinate/delegated legislation, made or issued there-under,” it said.

They also proposed an amendment to Article 63-1(c) which says: “A person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as, or being a member of the Majlis-i-Shoora (parliament) if he ceases to be a citizen of Pakistan, or acquires the citizenship of a foreign state.”

The bill had suggested that the words “except a country or a state in respect of which the acquisition of dual nationality/citizenship is permissible under the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 or any other successor law in force or any letter, order, notification, rule” be added to the article.

Meanwhile, about the recovery of minor girl students of a seminary from a house and an apartment in Karachi, officials of the human rights division informed the committee that it was not a case of human trafficking.

The officials said the girls had been sent to Karachi willingly by their parents for religious education because of free accommodation, clothes and other necessities of life.

Police had recovered in November 36 girls hailing from Bajaur Agency, who had reportedly been handed over to a family by a teacher and a supervisor of a seminary over a monetary dispute.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2014