Dual Citizenship Approved for Overseas Pakistanis with Full Retention of Rights

ISLAMABAD (RNN TV) – The federal government has introduced a landmark bill aimed at protecting the citizenship rights of overseas Pakistanis who acquire foreign nationality, marking a significant legal reform for the Pakistani diaspora.

The Pakistan Citizenship Amendment Bill 2025, presented in the National Assembly by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Talal Chaudhry, proposes key amendments to existing laws that currently allow for the automatic cancellation of Pakistani citizenship upon acquiring another nationality in certain cases.

The new legislation seeks to preserve the legal identity and rights of dual nationals, ensuring that overseas Pakistanis are not deprived of their citizenship status. Speaking on the bill, Talal Chaudhry emphasized that Pakistan has already signed dual nationality agreements with several countries, and this amendment is necessary to align domestic laws with those international understandings.

“The objective is to resolve longstanding issues faced by overseas Pakistanis and ensure they remain connected to their homeland without fear of losing their citizenship,” Chaudhry stated.

The move has been welcomed by many expatriates who have long raised concerns about losing their Pakistani citizenship due to foreign naturalization. However, the parliamentary session also saw criticism from the opposition benches.

Senior PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar cautioned against the rising trend of using ordinances for major legal reforms. He stressed that all legislative changes, especially those impacting citizenship, must be thoroughly debated in Parliament to ensure transparency and democratic consensus.

If passed, the bill will represent a major shift in Pakistan’s citizenship policy, potentially impacting millions of overseas Pakistanis and strengthening ties with the global diaspora.

Source: Web Desk