Islamabad: According to sources, the federal government is preparing a major constitutional amendment under which new conditions will be introduced for government employees with dual citizenship. Under the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, such employees will have to choose between foreign citizenship and government employment.
The government says that while public representatives cannot hold dual citizenship, the same principle should apply to the bureaucracy. The proposed provision will be linked to Article 63(1)(C) of the Constitution, which spells out the disqualification of members of parliament holding dual citizenship.
According to sources, the proposal was also discussed in detail in the meeting of the PPP’s Central Executive Committee, in which the majority supported it while some members raised questions about the implementation procedure. The government maintains that the amendment aims to keep the loyalty of those holding state positions tied only to Pakistan.
According to political observers, the amendment will strengthen the concept of accountability and loyalty in the country’s bureaucracy. However, its legal and administrative implications will be far-reaching, as many eligible officers holding dual citizenship will have to decide under the law whether to maintain foreign relations or hold state positions.
Experts say that the government will have to set clear guidelines at the time of implementing the amendment so that no officer is discriminated against and transparency is maintained.
