Parliamentary panel backs ban, questions why civil servants enjoy privileges denied elected officials
ISLAMABAD:
A proposal to end dual nationality for members of the bureaucracy gained momentum on Monday after a parliamentary panel voted to abolish the practice, with lawmakers also calling for the restriction to be extended to judges.
At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Cabinet Secretariat of the National Assembly, chaired by Ibrar Ahmed, MPs supported the proposal to ban civil servants from having dual nationality.
Committee members argued that if parliamentarians were constitutionally prohibited from holding dual nationality, the same standard should apply to senior state officials.
Committee member Noor Alam Khan questioned why bureaucrats continued to enjoy a privilege denied to elected representatives. He said that even if his sister or daughter had dual citizenship, he would not be willing to sit down with her.
Responding to the discussion, Minister of State Tahira Aurangzeb gave a personal example, saying her daughter was an Australian national but chose to renounce her citizenship to enter Parliament.
The Cabinet Secretary then clarified that if Parliament decided to legislate on the matter, the government was prepared to move forward with the required legislation.
The Establishment Division informed the committee that although dual nationality was permitted in 21 countries, some individuals nevertheless acquired citizenship of other states. The commission chairman said a final decision on the matter would be made on February 16.
The meeting also discussed the issue of Pakistan’s participation in US President Donald Trump’s Gaza Peace Council. Committee member Agha Rafiullah asked who had submitted the summary to the cabinet.
Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal explained that the cabinet unanimously approved the summary submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s statement on the matter was completely correct.
Besides, a proposal to grant a travel allowance of Rs90,000 to federal secretaries was discussed.
Noor Alam Khan, speaking sarcastically, pointed out that the restrictions applied only to members of Parliament, while officers continued to enjoy all facilities. He noted that under current policy, officers with official vehicles were not entitled to travel allowances, but in practice many received both benefits.
The committee chairman asked the Cabinet Secretary to ensure effective checks and balances to implement the policy. However, the Secretary of the Cabinet Division opposed the removal of the requirement for officers to present certificates of compliance confirming compliance with the rules.
