The Supreme Court on Saturday directed the federal and provincial governments to set deadlines for civil servants with dual nationalities to either give up their job or the second nationality as it announced a verdict in a suo motu case concerning the matter.

A two-member bench of the court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, instructed the concerned governments to legislate and take necessary measures on the issue.

Failure to relinquish other nationalities on government employees' part within the stipulated time should result in legal action, the court stated in its order.

The court remarked that government employees who hold foreign nationalities during the course of their employment are a threat to the interests of the state of Pakistan.

Furthermore, the apex court said that in case a non-Pakistani is to be engaged in employment then the concerned cabinet's permission should be secured.

The court directed the federal and provincial governments to compile lists of its employees who hold dual nationalities, and told the parliament to legislate and take necessary measures.

In January, the chief justice, while hearing a separate case, had taken up a suo motu case on senior government officers as well as members of the judiciary holding dual nationality.

In March, a report compiled by the Establishment Division had revealed that a total of 213 government officers serving in various ministries, divisions, provincial departments and autonomous bodies held dual nationality.