ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said there was no restriction on dual citizenship in the Constitution and he was in favour of expatriate Pakistanis getting the right to vote and becoming members of the Parliament.

Speaking to a private television programme, he said more than 300 councilors, mayors and members of House of Commons and House of Lords in Britain were Pakistanis.

"There should be a debate on the issue of dual citizenship and the Parliament should decide the issue and legislate as the world has changed," he said and added that expatriate Pakistanis should not be deprived of the right to become members of the Parliament and voters in Pakistan.

He said nowhere in the Constitution was it written that Pakistanis cannot hold dual citizenship and cannot become legislators and bureaucrats.

He said the law and Constitution were not made for individuals and one had to look at the situation in the country and the world.

“What will happen if Britain abolished the citizenship of Lord Nazir Ahmed?” he asked. Gilani said Pakistani citizens all over the world had the right of dual citizenship.

To a question, he said according to the law, Dr. Shakil Afridi should be given the right to defend himself in the higher courts.

He said Dr. Shakil Afridi was wrong in his actions, however, he should get justice through normal courts.

To another question about Pakistan-US relations, he said talks were continuing between Pakistan and the United States on the reopening of Nato supply lines.

The prime minister said relations between countries could not be based on an incident but on solid grounds.