Jan 10: If Dr Tahirul Qadri, who also holds the nationality of Canada is arrested ahead of his long march, he may not get access to Canadian consular services, according to an official of the Canadian embassy.

“There is a general sense of reluctance within embassy circles in regard to Mr Qadri, whose dual Canadian citizenship has become controversial after he addressed a mammoth rally in Lahore on Dec 23 and announced his long march on Islamabad,” the official, who did not want to be named, claimed.

The reluctance, according to him, to provide consular services to Dr Qadri emanates from his dual citizen status, even though the Canadian law allows its citizens to have dual nationality.

“But when a Canadian citizen breaks the law or disrupts peace in a foreign land, the role of consular services becomes limited as law of the land applies,” the official said.

He said that ever since Canada eased its immigration laws, people from all over the world were applying for Canadian immigration and becoming naturalised citizens, but holders of dual nationality did not have the same rights as someone born in Canada.