Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
A legislative body of Upper House of parliament on Thursday decided to make further deliberation over a bill on dual nationality of bureaucrats, which if implemented will affect 20000 officials. The discussion was made in the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which was held under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad at Parliament House. The Committee considered the amendment proposed by Senator Afnanullah Khan in the Senate House regarding dual citizenship of bureaucrats.
Senator Afnanullah Khan said that if people with dual citizenship take an oath of allegiance to countries other than Pakistan, then the question arises as to which country’s interests they will protect when the time comes. Senator Sadia Abbasi asked how many bureaucrats have been punished for revealing national secrets till date? She said that this is a very serious matter.
The committee was informed that 20,000 officers will be affected if the bill passed and implemented. Chairman Committee Rana Maqbool Ahmed said that this matter will be decided after further consideration in the next meeting. He directed that the details of the debate on the bill in the National Assembly should be provided to all the senators so that the matter could be settled and a logical conclusion could be reached soon.
The meeting was attended by Senators Afnanullah Khan, Sadia Abbasi, Saifullah Khan Niazi, Khalida Ateeb, Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Senior Officers of Cabinet Division and Establishment Division.
