ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senator Zafar Ali Shah has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, challenging Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Husain’s eligibility to head his party.
Petition was filed on Thursday under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution of Pakistan and it named as respondents the federal government, the Cabinet Division, the Election Commission of Pakistan, the Interior Ministry, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, its chief Altaf Hussain, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, MQM Deputy Conveyor Dr Farooq Sattar and all MQM legislators.
Raising questions against qualification of Altaf Hussain, the PML-N senator said that since Altaf Husain is a citizen of the United Kingdom, he is ineligible to be a Pakistani parliamentarian.
The petition says: “Legislators are supposed to be loyal with their party head and bound to accept his orders in the assembly. But how the legislators of a party, whose head is a foreign national and not eligible to be a parliamentarian under the constitution, can justify their loyalty to their leader.
“Is it constitutionally correct and plausible that a person who is living abroad with dual nationality, not liable to obey and face the law of Pakistan, can influence the legislation by commanding the lawmakers elected on his party ticket,” it adds.
Shah requested to the SC that Altaf Hussain should be directed to make a declaration according to the laws of the United Kingdom to renounce his British citizenship and in case of noncompliance his Pakistani citizenship should be ceased.
He prayed the court to ask all MQM central and provincial lawmakers whether they want to remain under the command of Altaf Hussain.
The PML-N leader requested the court to direct Pemra to impose a ban on airing speeches of Altaf Hussain.
About Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, the petitioner argued how a person can remain the governor of a province for 12 years when the constitution limits the term of president, prime minister and the National Assembly to five years.
He stated that under the 18th Amendment, governor’s appointment is conditioned with the advice of the prime minister, therefore Ibad’s appointment is unconstitutional.
“Will Ishratul Ibad submit the affidavit before this court that he has no dual nationality,” petition adds.
It also maintains that a large number of MQM members of national and provincial assemblies have dual nationality and the Interior Minister can verify their nationality status.
The petitioner requested the court to summon all the respondents to clarify their positions.

SC moved against Altaf’s dual nationality