ISLAMABAD - No judge of the Supreme Court holds dual nationality, said a press statement issued by the apex court Thursday.
The full court meeting of the apex court informally discussed the issue regarding media reports that the Senate had sought details about dual nationality of judges of the superior courts.
The SC statement further said: “The Constitution or the code of conduct for judges of the superior courts places no bar on judges having dual nationality.”
Three days ago the Senate had sought details of judges who were dual nationals within two months. Law Minister Pervaiz Rasheed had informed the Senate that three letters had been written to the Supreme Court’s registrar recently seeking names of the judges having dual nationality, but no response had been received.
The issue of dual nationality has been a bone of contention between the parliament and the apex court over the past few years, as the Supreme Court disqualified many parliamentarians for holding dual nationality.
Senators Raza Rabbani and Sughra on January 7 this year had submitted a private bill regarding dual nationality of higher courts judges and the government servants. They had sought amendments in Articles 177 and 193 and 240 of the Constitution that relates to holding a dual nationality by the judges of the superior courts and the persons in the service of Pakistan and wanted that new proviso be inserted to bring in 22nd Amendment in the Constitution.
The new proviso proposed: “That a judge of the Supreme Court holding dual nationality or citizenship of a foreign country shall renounce the same with 60 days of the coming into force of the Constitution (Twenty-Second Amendment) Act 2013.”
The same proviso has been mentioned for the judges of the high courts who will also have to renounce the nationality of another country within 60 days of the passage of this constitutional amendment.
Agencies add: Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has taken suo moto notice of the plight of 3,000 Pakistanis languishing in Saudi Arabia and has sought response of the Foreign Ministry within a week.
On Thursday Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took notice on an email sent by an overseas Pakistani, Ali Khan, a resident of Saudi Arabia registered through Expatriate Wing of Human Rights Cell of Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad.
The applicant stated that about 3,000 Pakistanis arrested by Saudi government were at Jeddah Deportation Centre for the last three months and few detainees had even passed away in the centre.
He further stated that the exit/deport documents were to be prepared by Pakistan Embassy which was not taking the matter seriously. He prayed for an early action in the matter. Taking notice of the issue, the chief justice sought report from the Foreign Ministry in a week.