Summary The SC will resume today hearing of Dr Qadri constitution petition seeking reconstitution of ECP.
The Supreme Court (SC) will resume hearing of constitution petition moved by Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahir ul Qadri, seeking reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
During yesterday hearing a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprised Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, has ordered Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) chief Tahirul Qadri to submit a detailed argument over his dual nationality in next hearing (today).
The CJP questioned Qadri if a dual nationality holder can be faithful to Pakistan? He remarked how a person can be a Pakistani citizen if he cannot be a parliamentarian owing to his dual nationalities.
During proceedings the bench asked Qadri to remain focused on the issue at hand when he tried to inform them about his efforts during the judicial movement.
The Chief Justice asked whether a Canadian citizen could also keep Pakistan citizenship? Tahirul Qadri replied that he was the citizen of Pakistan and Canada and added that the documents relating to immigration would be submitted in due course.
The Chief Justice inquired on what basis Qadri acquired citizenship of Canada, asking if he had any threats to his life.
Qadri in reply said that he acquired Canadian citizenship in 2005 after resigning from the national assembly on the basis of being a religious scholar.
The Chief Justice remarked that this made it evident that you (Qadri) have been a Canadian citizen for a long time and there is a bar on your becoming a member of parliament under Article 63. The Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran chief replied that Pakistan’s law allowed citizens of Britain or its colonies to keep dual-nationality.
The Chief Justice asked Qadri to read his Canadian oath of allegiance to which Qadri said that he did not have a copy of the oath.
The Chief Justice read out the Canadian oath of allegiance during the proceedings, following which Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that how a person who had sworn allegiance to another country file a petition. Qadri in his reply stated that he had filed the petition as a voter.
