NA body passes bill seeking to stop dual nationals from becoming civil servants

"There is a need to ensure the loyalty of government servants in the light of Article 5 of the Constitution," reads bill

By
APP
|
A session of the The National Assembly is pictured in this file photo. — Radio Pakistan/File

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday passed The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2020, seeking to stop dual nationals from getting appointed as civil servants.

PPP leaders Jam Abdul Karim Bijar, Abdul Qadir Patel and Agha Rafiullah have submitted the bill in the National Assembly just before the end of the second parliamentary year.

The bill, that seeks to amend Section 5 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973, has been referred to the standing committee.

In the statement of objects and reasons, the bill said the government servants must have a real stake in the country in which they hold positions of authority, privilege and trust.

It has been observed, it said, the government servants who hold dual nationality put at stake the interests of the country and the moment they retire, they leave the country to evade accountability.

“There is a need to ensure the loyalty of government servants in the light of Article 5 of the Constitution. This bill is designed to achieve the said object,” the bill read.

The committee that met in the capital with Kishwer Zehra in the chair also discussed Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority(PPRA) (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The committee recommended that the appointment of Managing Director PPRA should be done keeping in view professionals with expertise in the relevant field.

Among other MNAs the meeting was attended by Saleem Rehman, Ali Nawaz Awan, Tahir Sadiq, Mohammad Aslam Khan, Azma Riaz, Mohammad Hashim, Rasheed Ahmed Khan, Ahmad Raza Manika, Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, Seema Mohi-ud-Din Jamili, Raza Rabbani Khar, Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur , Mohsin Dawar, Sher Akbar Khan, Osama Qadri, Dr Haider Ali Khan and senior officials of Cabinet Establishment and other concerned departments.