[R1king]

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Thursday sought an official certificate from Rehman Malik of surrendering his British nationality, directing Farah Naz Isfahani to submit her response in the next hearing. A two-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing a case regarding parliamentarian’s dual nationality. Athar Farooq, counsel for Rehman Malik, submitted that Malik was exiled from Pakistan to England for nine years due to political victimization and the British government granted nationality to Malik during that period. He said Malik had never given up his Pakistani nationality and had surrendered his British nationality on March 25, 2008 before taking charge of public office. The chief justice remarked that Malik had to provide a certificate before the court which he got from the government of England after surrendering his nationality. MNA Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal told the SC that he did not have dual nationality and baseless allegations were being leveled against him. Advocate on record on behalf of Farah Naz Isfahani pleaded the court to grant time for getting services of a lawyer. The SC then granted time to get services of the counsel and adjourned the hearing until May 16.