LAHORE, Feb 14: Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said on Thursday he would not start any protest movement against the Supreme Court (SC) despite the fact that it only discussed his dual nationality instead of his plea for reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Responding to questions raised by the media during a press conference at the Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran Secretariat, Qadri said the SC verdict sent a wrong message to overseas Pakistanis, including many dual nationals sending billions of dollars to Pakistan every year. “My protest is against SC’s behaviour and not against its verdict. The court did not hear me on the issue of ECP’s reconstitution, but I will not launch any protest movement or long march against this or any other issue and continue nation-building instead of discussing such issues again and again,” he remarked.

He said he would neither file a review petition nor discuss these issues again. However, the PAT would continue to discuss important national issues, said a visibly disappointed Qadri. He said the SC declared dual nationals third grade citizens despite the fact that they had the right to vote under the constitution. “I am surprised as well as afraid of the prevailing situation. The dual nationals who are sending billions of dollars to Pakistan annually are now considered to be third grade citizens and those transferring their ill-gotten money abroad are ruling this country and taking important decisions,” he deplored.

Qadri said Adviser on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain was taking important decisions despite the fact that he was a dual national. He said the SC verdict would not only affect Pakistanis living abroad who sent $13 billion to Pakistan in the last fiscal year alone, but also hit the country’s economy in future.

Talking about the court proceedings on his petition, he said he was not heard from Monday to Wednesday except for a couple of minutes on day one when he read his application.

“Two or three minutes after I started reading my petition, the court stopped me and raised the issue of my dual nationality and right to file the petition being a dual national. And then this issue remained in focus for the next three days,” he explained.