ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday
declared that individuals with dual nationalities were ineligible to
take part in elections. The ECP has directed all the returning officers
to ensure its strict implementation.
Ishtiak Khan Secretary,
Election Commission of Pakistan, said in an official statement that ECP
has, according to Article 63-1(c) of the Constitution read with Section
99 (1A) (c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, observed that
the law disqualifies such people from being elected, or chosen as, and
from being a member of the Parliament, if “he ceases to be a citizen of
Pakistan or acquires the citizenship of a foreign state”.
Article
63(1) (c) of the Constitution is reproduced here which says: “A person
shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as, and from being, a
member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), if he ceases to be a
citizen of Pakistan or acquires the citizenship of a foreign state.”
This
provision of the Constitution is being implemented for the first time
in the Senate bye-election in KP, for which the nomination papers are to
be submitted on December 20 & 21, 2011 and the polling will take
place on January 4, 2012 at the provincial assembly building, Peshawar. Online
