MQM advocates dual nationals’ right to franchise

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) senior leader Farooq Sattar, while talking to Masood Raza on Geo programme ‘Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath’, on Friday said that there should be no discrimination between those Pakistanis who live in Pakistan and those who live overseas because they are equal under the Constitution.

He said that taking part in democratic and electoral activities is a fundamental right of every Pakistani. According to Article 17, it forms part of fundamental rights while Article 25 envisages equality of all the people.

Farooq Sattar said that we thought that this discrimination should be done away with. Overseas Pakistanis not only have vast experience but they play a vital role in times of crisis and natural calamities. They are, in a way, country’s ambassadors.

He said that remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis are the backbone of the country’s economy, and depriving them of their fundamental rights despite their contributions is highly unjust. That would be tantamount to calling their patriotism into question.

The MQM leader said that almost all the countries of the world allow their citizens to have dual nationalities whether it’s the USA, Britain, Italy, Holland, South Korea or Malaysia. If the law in these countries allows dual nationalities then they also have the right to contest elections. In fact, some countries have now gone to the extent wherein they not only allow dual nationality holder to contest elections in their country of origin but also have reserved seats in Parliament for such people. Italy, Holland and South Korea are the countries with reserved seats for dual nationality holders, he added.

He said that there is not a single country which, while allowing people to have dual nationality, restricts their contesting of elections. The bill that we have presented says that a person with dual nationality can contest elections. This is the spirit of Articles 17 and 25. There was a flaw in Article 63-1C which we have amended. The said Article had envisaged disqualification of a person upon their acquiring a dual nationality. Our bill opposes this treatment and it envisages that only when a person surrenders their Pakistani nationality do they become liable for disqualification but not the ones who retain their Pakistani citizenship while acquiring that of a foreign county.

While responding to a question about PPP-MQM talks, Farooq Sattar said that they are attempting to create an environment of confidence-building. Stability in Sindh means stability in Pakistan, and stability in Sindh comes from complete understanding between the rural and urban populations, which is the need of the hour. He said that confidence-building measures (CBMs) are important in order to highlight the problems faced by the urban population.

The MQM leader said that his party has been into CBMs in the wider interests of conciliation.

While commenting on the tweet of Bilawal Bhutto, Farooq Sattar said that Asif Zardari will take notice of it while asking himself the question whether Bilawal’s tweet helps the process of conciliation or whether it hurts it.