ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif may also face the charge of holding dual nationality although it is his party which is leading the agitation on the issue.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court summoned the chief minister of the country’s largest province and directed him to appear in person on Oct 17 and explain whether a claim made by Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz Ahmad he held the citizenship of a foreign country was correct.

If this was true, the notice said, should he also not be disqualified from being member of the provincial assembly under Article 63(1c) of the Constitution.

The court also issued notices to Raja Riaz Ahmad with a direction to appear in person and confirm before the court whatever he had said in statements published in newspapers.

The court also summoned editors of dailies Asas and The News and Daily Times.

The court has already observed that it would deal with all members equally in terms of Article 25 of the Constitution which envisage that all citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law and Article 5 which defines that loyalty to the state is the basic duty of every citizen and that obedience to the Constitution and law is the inviolable obligation of every citizen wherever he may be, and of every other person in Pakistan.

On Sept 21, the apex court disqualified four members of the National Assembly and seven members of provincial assemblies of Punjab and Sindh for possessing dual nationality.