Top court dismisses dual nationality case against Chaudhry Sarwar and Nuzhat Sadiq

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

Top court dismisses dual nationality case against Chaudhry Sarwar and Nuzhat Sadiq

Rana Bilal Published December 26, 2018

Foreign Office report reveals that Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has renounced his foreign nationality for good. — File photo

The Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and PML-N Senator Nuzhat Sadiq in a suo motu case concerning civil servants holding dual nationality.

The court's decision came after the Foreign Office submitted a report to the court stating that both Sarwar and Sadiq had permanently renounced their foreign nationalities.

Holding dual nationality can potentially disqualify lawmakers under Article 63(1)(c) of the Constitution.

The top court had taken up the matter in March, soon after the Senate elections. The chief justice had inquired about senators who held dual nationality.

The attorney general had told the court that four senators, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Chaudhry Sarwar, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's sister Sadia Abbasi, and the PML-N's Nuzhat Sadiq and Haroon Akhtar possessed dual nationality.

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Rana Bilal is a Lahore-based reporter for Dawn News (TV) with over nine years of experience covering legal affairs, justice-sector developments, and environmental issues. He can be found on X at @ranabilaldawn.

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Orakzai

Dec 26, 2018 03:27pm

All decisions nowadays goes in favour of PTI.

Recommend 0

Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Dec 26, 2018 04:10pm

Another setback of PTI's critics, who use various tactics to seek cheap publicity. Whereas, both PPP's and PMLN's leaders and their children have foreign citizenships and Aqamas - shame on such people who loot tax payers money and purchase overseas properties. They are black sheep of our society!

Recommend 0

rafiq

Dec 26, 2018 04:28pm

@Orakzai, Thats called right is right.

Recommend 0

bhaRAT©

Dec 26, 2018 04:33pm

@Orakzai, The case was about dual nationality and it was found they permanently renounced their foreign nationalities. Did you even read or just busy with nonsense propaganda?

Recommend 0

BhaRAT

Dec 26, 2018 04:47pm

@Orakzai, That’s what happens when you’re honest and sincere

Recommend 0

S. Khan

Dec 26, 2018 05:03pm

Shouldn’t they be disqualified even when if they denounced the second citizenship after holding the position and should be punished as then if you’re elected in government and then surrendering a citizenship is pure conflict of interest.

Recommend 0

Ken

Dec 26, 2018 05:04pm

Simple as that dual nationality can not run the country they have to give up their nationality or otherwise give up their seat etc .

Recommend 0

Abdul Jabbar

Dec 26, 2018 05:08pm

@Orakzai, Do not only see the decision, also see the merit of the case. If Mr. Sarwar has permanently surrendered the foreign nationality then should the court decided against him just to satisfy you that they give some decision against PTI?

Recommend 0

usman

Dec 26, 2018 05:10pm

@Orakzai, It is not in favour. The guy quit his nationality already. It is not in favour but just a legal decision.

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Siraj syed from usa

Dec 26, 2018 05:19pm

@Orakzai, Because they are honest , loyal and capable people. They like to serve Pakistan.

Recommend 0

Dec 26, 2018 05:24pm

This decision went in favor of PML-N as well. Let's not get carried away. Pak supreme court is neutral.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Dec 26, 2018 05:28pm

Well done Chaudhary Sarwar and Nuzhat Sadiq for permanently giving up the nationality of Western countries in order to serve the land and people of your motherland. Keep it up and hang on tough.

Recommend 0

Zafar Naim

Dec 26, 2018 05:31pm

All decisions these days are based on Merit and MERIT only. For your information Nuzhat Sadiq is the richest woman Parlimentarian of Muslim league( Nawaz).

Recommend 0

Haris

Dec 26, 2018 06:01pm

@S. Khan, they at least Ch. Sarwar havr renounced before joining PTI.

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Orakzai

Dec 26, 2018 06:51pm

@Siraj syed from usa, Please, don't give them honesty certificate now. You wait and see their honesty after five years.

Recommend 0

Orakzai

Dec 26, 2018 06:53pm

@bhaRAT© and what about KPK CM Mehmood khan NAB case and why the NAB prosecutor resigned.

Recommend 0

Waqar Ahmed

Dec 26, 2018 07:11pm

Why did he possessed foreign citizenship in the first place? Not trustworthy!

Recommend 0

Sensible_Citizen

Dec 26, 2018 08:11pm

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani, Cant understand your stance. People who are in Pti now are the same who were in other Parties before. Is there any sacred door in Pti, by passing through which one can sanctify itself? See thats the problem there , I think you are a sensible citizen. We shouldn't take sides. Whats bad for PmLn or Ppp or any other party is as bad as for Pti. Be irrational, unbiased. Dont take sides. See everything from all the prospects. Dont just believe anything which anyone says to us. We are easily controlled by people, organizations(Thats an another debate). Its obvious to support someone, someparty but that doesnot mean we should take sides. Be Neutral, watch things( while being Neutral). Dont take sides. Open your eyes. Stay blessed

Recommend 0

kpk

Dec 26, 2018 08:16pm

@Orakzai, what is wrong with you ? it's simple case !

Recommend 0

Sensible_Citizen

Dec 26, 2018 08:22pm

@JM, Yeah, ask this from any person affiliated with law. He'll tell you.

Recommend 0

Dr Hu Zhi Yuan

Dec 26, 2018 08:22pm

@Orakzai, On merit.

Recommend 0

Dr Hu Zhi Yuan

Dec 26, 2018 08:26pm

@S. Khan, Please get your facts right. They had given up their 2nd citizenship BEFORE contesting the Senate Elections and had submitted documents to that effect. Please revisit the court proceedings of those days before pontificating on "ethics" !

Recommend 0

M. Saeed

Dec 26, 2018 08:27pm

Dual nationality means a person is having two allegiances and oath of sincerity. That makes him potentially insincere to his first nationality.

Recommend 0

Dr Hu Zhi Yuan

Dec 26, 2018 08:28pm

@Orakzai, Please HOLD on to your horses and wait for the case to proceed further.

Recommend 0

Danish

Dec 26, 2018 10:31pm

It mean he doesn't own his business emipure in Scotland . What about his indefinite UK stamp on his passport.. Did British home office mention that..

Recommend 0

Imtiaz

Dec 26, 2018 10:48pm

@Orakzai, you really are fooling yourself don't you ? They won their case because they proved without a shadow of a doubt that they have surrendered their foreign nationality not because they were favoured.

Recommend 0

Saif Zulfiqar

Dec 27, 2018 01:35am

@Orakzai, This proves how PTI is honest and reliable party.

Recommend 0

Khalil

Dec 27, 2018 05:28am

Had it been any other party it would have taken 5 years or more to get a decision from the courts. The govt and the courts working for the betterment of pak pple.

Recommend 0

M. Saeed

Dec 27, 2018 06:50pm

Even a dual nationality before creates a doubt about the sincerity of a person because, he can anytime return and denounce his current nationality.

Recommend 0

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