Parliamentary panel backs ban, questions why civil servants enjoy privileges denied to elected officials
ISLAMABAD:
A proposal to end dual citizenship for members of the bureaucracy gained momentum on Monday after a parliamentary panel voted to abolish the practice, with lawmakers also calling for the restriction to be extended to include judges.
During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the Cabinet Secretariat, chaired by Ibrar Ahmed, members supported the proposal to bar civil servants from holding dual citizenship.
The committee members argued that if parliamentarians were constitutionally prohibited from holding dual citizenship, the same standard should apply to senior government officials.
Committee member Noor Alam Khan questioned why bureaucrats continue to enjoy a privilege denied to elected representatives. He said that if even his sister or daughter had dual citizenship, he would not be willing to sit with her.
Responding to the discussion, Foreign Minister Tahira Aurangzeb shared a personal example, saying her daughter had been an Australian citizen but chose to renounce her citizenship to enter Parliament.
In doing so, the cabinet secretary clarified that if parliament decided to legislate on the matter, the government was prepared to proceed with the required legislation.
The Establishment Division informed the Committee that while dual citizenship was permitted in 21 countries, some individuals continued to acquire citizenship in additional states. The committee chairman said a final decision on the matter would be made on February 16.
The meeting also raised the issue of Pakistan’s participation in US President Donald Trump’s Gaza Peace Council. Committee member Agha Rafiullah asked who had put the summary before the Cabinet.
Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal explained that the Cabinet had unanimously approved the summary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the Prime Minister’s statement on the matter was completely correct.
Separately, a proposal to provide a Rs90,000 travel allowance to federal secretaries came under discussion.
Noor Alam Khan, speaking sarcastically, noted that restrictions applied only to members of parliament, while officers continued to enjoy all facilities. He pointed out that under the existing policy, officers equipped with official vehicles were not entitled to travel allowances, but in practice many received both benefits.
The committee chairman directed the cabinet secretary to ensure effective checks and balances to enforce the policy. However, the cabinet department secretary opposed removing the requirement for officers to submit certificates of compliance confirming compliance with the regulations.
