*ISLAMABAD: *The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered the submission ofdetails regarding army officials who hold dual nationalities.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, while presiding over athree-member bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandiyal and Justice IjazulAhsan, ordered the Ministry of Defence to brief the SC whether the lawprevented army officials and soldiers from holding dual nationalities.

Referring to the judgement in the Asghar Khan case, Justice Bandiyalremarked that the same law should be applied to defence forces to ensurethat they did not hold dual nationalities.

Justice Nisar said that the apex court was just collecting data on armyofficials and although the SC had highlighted the issue, the parliament wasresponsible for updating the law. “The courts can only proposerecommendations; the onus is on the government to take the matter further.”

Meanwhile, the SC’s appointed adviser, Shahid Hamid submittedrecommendations to the SC.

“The federal and provincial governments should formulate negative list(s)of posts to which dual nationality holders shall not be appointed forreasons of safeguarding national security and/or vital national interests,”the report stated.

“The federal government should also be required to submit annual reports toparliament in regard to enforcement/implementation of the 1966 Actprohibiting employment of ex-government servants with foreign governmentand agencies.”