ECP told to file comments on plea seeking disqualification of PPP MNA

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and others to file comments on a petition seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig from Karachi for holding dual citizenship.

The petitioner, Dr Pervez Ghaffar, who is a voter of the National Assembly constituency NA-241 District South, challenged the eligibility of Baig to contest the poll, submitting that the MNA had not renounced his Canadian citizenship and he was therefore liable to be disqualified.

He said that although the MNA had informed the ECP that he had renounced his Canadian nationality, the process had not been completed yet. The petitioner submitted that the respondent had not renounced the dual nationality at the time of filing his nomination papers.

The petitioner’s counsel said the respondent was not eligible to contest the elections unless the proceedings of the renunciation of his dual nationality had been concluded. He said the Supreme Court in its order had held that mere initiation of the process of relinquishment was not sufficient and during the course of such process, a dual national did not cease to be a citizen of a foreign country.

The high court was requested to declare that Baig was not eligible for becoming a member of Parliament on the basis of dual nationality, and direct the ECP to disqualify him for becoming a member of Parliament under the articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

A counsel for the ECP and PPP MNA sought time to file comments on the petition. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi directed the respondents to file comments on the petition by April 10.