ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Friday called for a complete ban on all civil servants holding dual nationality, while discussing the Civil Service (Amendment) Bill, 2024, moved by Dr Afnanullah Khan.
The committee met here under the chairmanship of its Chairman Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan. During the discussion, Dr. Afnanullah Khan said that civil servants take oath of loyalty to the state of Pakistan; it would therefore be impossible for a civil servant to be loyal to two countries.
Senator Saadia Abbasi and other members argued that the ban on holding dual nationality should apply to all civil servants and that there should be no exceptions. If there is an exception, it should apply to everyone, they added.
Taking part in the debate, Senator Saadia Abbasi argued that in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, citizens could have dual nationality. Surprisingly, she added, a dual citizen can hold any public office in the United States except the office of president. She urged the government to develop a policy on the issue.
Committee members proposed seeking advice from the Prime Minister’s Office on the bill. However, Senator Afnanullah Khan suggested that since the bill had already been passed by the National Assembly, there was no need to send it to the government.
Cabinet Division Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal informed the committee that the issue was discussed in the ‘Committee of Secretaries’ and there was no aversion to the subject of dual nationality. However, he stressed that it was difficult for anyone to be loyal to two countries.
