SC suspends two MQM lawmakers over dual nationality
05 July, 2012
ISLAMABAD: After the suspension of some PPP and PML-N parliamentarians' membership, the Supreme Court on Wednesday also suspended the membership of two parliamentarians belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for holding dual nationalities. The affected legislators are Farhat Mehmood Khan and Nadia Gabol, who hold US and UK nationalities, respectively. The court observed that despite being summoned, they did not appear before the court in person or through their counsel to rebut the charges against them that they held dual citizenship. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, also ordered registration of criminal complaints against director general, deputy director and other officials of the Federal Investigation Agency for misguiding and providing false and fabricated information regarding dual nationality of a PPP MPA of Punjab Assembly, Tariq Mehmood Alloana. The FIA had on the application of a lawyers' leader, Waheed Anjum, provided false and fabricated information about Alloana that he was a US national, despite the latter's denial and affidavit stating that he held Pakistani citizenship and had never travelled to any other country except Saudi Arabia. The court noted that all institutions were bound to assist the apex court under the constitution, and in spite of this the FIA provided wrong information about Alloana. The court directed Islamabad police inspector general to supervise the investigation and submit a report in the Supreme Court on a weekly basis. It also issued notices to the federation and Prime Minister's Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik over a petition filed by Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi, who prayed that Malik should be stopped from working as PM's adviser as the court had suspended his membership as senator and ministership. End.
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