ISLAMABAD, Pakistan. - Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik is suspended Monday over charges of dual citizenship. Malik has been removed from the Upper House of Parliament (i.e. the Senate) and therefore by de-facto loses his position as interior minister.
Malik was arrested for possessing a British passport, which he claimed to have forfeited before he joined the senate in 2008. He failed to provide the necessary proof Monday and therefore was suspended. Chief Justice Iftikkhar Chaudhry who has issued the temporary suspension has given Malik until June 13 to provide the required documents.
The suspension is a result of the recent crackdown waged by the Supreme Court on lawmakers of the Zardari government rumored of having dual citizenships. According to the New York Times, most of the 14 lawmakers are suspected of having multiple passports of different nationalities.
Recently, President Asif Ali Zardari's media advisor Farnhnaz Ispahani was suspended for holding U.S. citizenship as reported by the Times of India.
Malik is said to be one of President Zardari's closest allies and is said to be appointed soon as the Prime Minister's adviser, which will essentially give him ministerial powers and keep him in his present post, the New York Times reports.
Although Pakistan does permit citizens to possess dual citizenships, lawmakers and members of the parliament must be citizens of only Pakistan and must forfeit any other passport upon acquiring such positions.
The court has given the other 13 lawmakers until June 13 to provide documents that will prove they relinquished other citizenships they are suspected of possessing.
