Supreme Court suspends Farahnaz Isphani’s membership over dual nationality
Friday, May 25th, 2012 3:38:44 by Faisal Farooq
In what appeared to be a shock to many legislators, the Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended National Assembly membership of Farahnaz Ispahani, the wife of former ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani, for having dual nationality.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed hearing into a petition against the dual nationality of parliamentarians.
It said that Ispahani could not be a part of proceedings in the National Assembly, the Lower House of Parliament.
During the course of proceeding, the apex court expressed reservations over contents of the US citizenship documents. According to the said documents, a person has to renounce citizenship of the country they were born in when they attain the American nationality.
Moreover, a person needs to be loyal to the United States and when required, the person has to take part in war and also perform their duty as non-combatant, when he/she swears in for American residency.
The bench was of the opinion that this also means that Ispahani could be given the task of spying. The court raised a question that why she had concealed this fact before sitting in the National Assembly.
It noted, “She might have collected secret information regarding sensitive matters, particularly defence and foreign issues”. It said that it would be in the greatest interest of people if membership of those parliamentarians be suspended, who had dual nationality.
According to the ruling, she had not informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about her dual nationality.
Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja remarked that Farahnaz Ispahani had taken oath that she would hold a gun if need arose for the defence of the US.
Meanwhile, Rehman Malik’s lawyer failed to produce any evidence of renouncement of Malik’s UK citizenship.
Earlier, the apex court had issued notices to Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Ispahani, as both of them had failed to appear during the last hearing.
In Friday’s hearing, Rehman Malik requested for more time from the court by filing an application through his lawyer.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi, who had alleged that Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal, Chaudhry Iftikhar Nazir and Malik held British nationalities, while Ispahani possessed US nationality.
Tags: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Election Commission of Pakistan, Farahnaz Ispahani, Hussain Haqqani, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, Rehman Malik, Supreme CourtShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=23344
Posted by Faisal Farooq
on May 25 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan.
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Mr Rehman Malik and Isphahani should resign. They are so selfish that they did not give up their nationalities for the sake of Pakistan then what do we expect that what type of services they will render to Pakistan?. Could you even imagine that America’s or Germany’s Minsiters will be nationals of other land and will be ministers in their own land. I appreciate the Supreme court concern in this regard. In my view Proper Legislation should be in place that Only Pakistani nationals could take part in Politics in Pakistan and they have to renounce foreign nationality once they are elected or take charge.
Bye bye Isphani…
Why don’t now join PTI ? They are the only ones support dual nationality in parliament and government services….
No other political party will support you.