SC directs defence ministry to submit report about dual nationality of military men

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court has asked the Defence Ministry to submit a comprehensive report disclosing the dual nationality of the officers of the armed forces and any embargo on said individuals to retain foreign nationality.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, that had taken up suo motu notice of the dual nationality of civil servants and judges, also recalled on Tuesday that under the prevalent laws, dual nationality was not a crime.

The top court, however, remarked that certain offices should not be occupied by individuals enjoying foreign nationality.

"If parliamentarians could be disqualified for having dual nationality then the same rule should also apply to the officers working in sensitive departments," the Chief Justice cautioned.

During the hearing, Chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), Usman Yousuf Mobeen told the court that according to the data provided by the federal and the provincial governments, 1,116 officers out of a total of 228,769 government officials were dual nationals whereas the spouses of 1,249 government servants enjoyed the same privilege.

Meanwhile, senior counsel Shahid Hamid appeared as an amicus curiae (friend of the court) and presented a set of proposals, highlighting that a few years ago the information ministry had issued a notification suggesting that no foreigners could work in government departments like the communication, water and power, petroleum and defence.