ISLAMABAD: Four MQM MNAs have resigned from the membership of the lower house of the parliament over dual nationality.Earlier, four of Muttahida’s members of Sindh Assembly had resigned from their slots, along with their two PPP colleagues, over the same issue.
MNAs Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, Syed Tayyab Hussain, Mrs Fauzia Ejaz and Dr Nadeem Ehsan tendered resignations citing personal reasons, but as a matter of fact they all were among those who did not submit oath statements to affirm not being the nationals of any other state but Pakistan.Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza accepted their resignations as of from November 29, 2012, a day before the Nov 30 deadline of filing the affidavits with the election commission. Their resignations have been sent to the election commission for further necessary action.On the other hand, Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ibrahim has said these vacated seats of the national assembly will remain vacant till the holding of general elections.
An ECP official said that the commission would hold a meeting sometime next week to proceed in the light of court ruling against those legislators who did not comply with the Supreme Court orders to file nationality affidavits.Monitoring Desk adds: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to move forward the names of lawmaers, who have not submitted their affidavits over dual nationality, to Supreme Court.Talking to a private TV channel on Sunday, Election Commission of Pakistan Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan said the commission had sought affidavits from the members of the parliament as per the directions of the apex court, adding names of those who had not submitted their sworn statements would be sent to the Supreme Court.
Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan further said the Election Commission would also review the matter of those lawmakers who did not submit affidavits and have tendered resignation over dual nationality. The decision on it would be made as per the law and constitution, he added.It is pertinent to mention here that ECP has not received affidavits from 16 members of Senate, National and Provincial Assemblies despite ending of 30th November deadline. – Nation
