Islamabad, June 4 (IBNS): The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday suspended Senate membership of Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik for failing to prove that he has given up his British citizenship.
The apex court took the decision under Article 63-A of the Constitution after the minister failed to provide testimonials in favor of his claim regarding abandonment of British nationality, Pakistan's The Nation newspaper said.
“The court orders are being ridiculed… Why required documents were not submitted to the court,” Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed in an interim order.
The three-judge bench, led by Chaudhry, also adjourned the case hearing till June 13. It had earlier given 60-year-old Malik time till Monday to produce a declaration issued by the UK Border Agency regarding the renunciation of his British citizenship.
If Malik fails to furnish the required paperwork by June 13, the court will take further action against him, the interim order said, that however, did not state whether he could continue as the Interior Minister.
According to reports, Malik's counsel submitted various documents and declarations to the Supreme Court but did not furnish the declaration from the UK Border Agency.
Legal experts said that Malik, who had acquired British citizenship while living in self-exile in the UK in the 1990s, could not function as a minister after the suspension of his membership of Parliament.
The Pakistani Supreme Court also issued notices on Monday to 14 other parliamentarians, including Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh Deputy Chairman Senate, Sabir Baloch and other lawmakers.
