Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq Sattar on Friday termed the Supreme Court's judgement pertaining to politicians holding dual nationality against the spirit of the Constitution, saying that keeping dual nationality holders away from political process was not a good omen for the country's future.
Addressing a press conference here, Dr Farooq Sattar said that technically, the SC judgement was correct under Article 63(1) C, but was against the spirit of the Constitution, as the Constitution gave equal rights to every Pakistani, either living in the country or abroad.
He said doubts were being cast about the patriotism of dual national holders, despite the fact that overseas Pakistanis were sending in Rs 12-13 billion remittance annually, which is vital for the national economy. The Apex Court verdict, he said, put the flow of remittance at risk, as overseas Pakistanis were finding other ways than banking channels after the SC judgement, which banned dual nationality holders from contesting elections.
The minister said he recently returned from the United States where he met members of the Pakistani community, adding that overseas Pakistanis were concerned after the verdict. When asked about the statement of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim that the country needed "pure Pakistanis" as public representatives and that "half Pakistanis" were not needed, the federal minister said that although he respected the CEC, but no one could dispute the patriotism of dual national holders. He appealed the SC to review its verdict and allow holders of dual nationality to contest elections or send the matter to Parliament for further deliberations.