Dual nationality case: Mailk fails to present documents

Rehman Malik, special advisor to the Pakistan Prime Minister on interior affairs, today failed to provide documents proving he has renounced his British nationality to the Supreme Court, which was hearing a petition against lawmakers holding dual citizenship.

A three-judge bench headed by chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry rejected several documents submitted by Malik's counsel Anwar Mansur and directed him to produce a declaration issued by the UK Border Agency regarding the renunciation of his British citizenship.

Malik's counsel produced his passport, issued in 2008, and said that if Malik had been a British national, he would have not been travelling on a Pakistani passport. The Chief Justice directed the counsel to present the relevant papers verified by British authorities.

The counsel then informed the bench that these documents were currently not available. Mansur further said Malik had renounced his British nationality in April 2008 and that the renouncement fee had been paid from the account of his wife Saeeda Rehman.

The bench said such matters were irrelevant and again directed Malik's counsel to either produce the declaration from the British agency or a duplicate. Waheed Anjum, who filed the petition, submitted documents which he said showed that a provincial legislator had US citizenship.

The apex court directed the Federal Investigation Agency to verify these documents. Last month, the Supreme Court had suspended the membership of Parliament of three PPP politicians, including Malik over the issue of dual nationality. At the time, Malik was the interior minister. Following the action by the apex court, he was appointed a Special Advisor to the premier on interior affairs so that he could continue heading the interior ministry.