ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, one of the members of a three-judge Supreme Court bench hearing a case about lawmakers having dual nationality, named on Thursday Adviser to Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resourced Dr Asim Hussain, Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Ghauri and Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad as some of the high-profile people believed to have foreign nationalities.

During the hearing, Justice Khawaja picked up a list, saying sometimes courts also received information. He then read out the names of at least nine leaders, a majority of them from Sindh, allegedly having dual citizenship. The list included MNA Waseem Ahmed, Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Minister for Food and Agriculture Nadir Maqsi and MPAs Dr Muhammad Ali Shah and Sassui Palijo.

It was not disclosed how the list had reached the court or whether it was contemplating initiating any proceedings against them. The court has already disqualified 11 legislators under Article 63(1c) of the Constitution.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik appeared before the bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to explain a statement in which he had claimed that there were several lawmakers having multiple nationalities and he was ready to identify them if asked. Mr Malik, however, could only name Punjab MPA Tahir Ali Javed who has already resigned from the assembly, citing personal reasons.

Exempting the minister from appearance, the court asked him to help it by providing to its registrar the particulars of such lawmakers if he found them.

The interior secretary will represent Mr Malik when the case will be taken up after three weeks.

The minister complained that he was getting an impression as if he was standing before the court like an accused and had not come to assist it.

He cited laws to establish that he enjoyed constitutional immunity and was not answerable to any court for any of his acts in relation to his official functions.

“Having an experience spanning over 40 years I am quite sensible and it is my function to give political statements being a representative of the people,” he said.

Mr Malik complained that he had appeared whenever he had been called even by a smaller court, but he had been ‘equated with a peon’ here, but was promptly corrected by the court that all were equal before it without any discrimination.

The minister said he had already contradicted the reports that he had knowledge about lawmakers having dual nationality.

He asked if the affairs of the state should be run on the basis of reports published by newspapers.

The chief justice said the media was “our lifeline with many good people like in any other institution”.