Dual Nationality: ECP disqualifies PTI’s Senator Faisal Vawda for life

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has declared PTI Senator Faisal Vawda disqualified for life for concealing his dual nationality from it at the time of submitting his nomination papers in 2018.

The ECP disqualified him under Article 62-1-F of the Constitution slapping a life-long ban on him as he could not contest election all his life.

According to the decision, Mr Vawda will have to return all benefits and salaries in two months. The ECP also ordered the withdrawal of the March 10, 2021 notification which installed him as a senator.

The ECP in its verdict said that Mr Vawda submitted wrong affidavit to the Election Commission of Pakistan. He made himself suspicious by his conduct. His resignation from the National Assembly in order to contest the senate election was dubious. Being an MNA, the vote he cast during the senate election was wrong.

The ECP also stated that Mr Vawda can file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Eelection Commission’s decision.

The Election Commission of Pakistan which reserved its judgement regarding Mr Vawda’s disqualification on Dec 23, 2021, announced the decision today (Wednesday).

The Islamabad High Court had ordered the ECP to announce the decision on Mr Vawda’a application as soon as possible.

Three petitioners including PPP MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhel submitted an application seeking disqualification of Mr Vawda (who also holds American nationality) for hiding his dual nationality from the commission.

The case had been under trial in the commission for the last three years.

After the announcement of the ECP decision, Mandokhel who was present in the courtroom along with another petitioner Akbar S Babar, expressed his joy saying that it was the victory of PPP. “When our rally will reach Islamabad, the ‘puppet’ government will fall down,” he added.

The ECP started hearing petitions against him on Feb 3, 2020 and conducted as many as 23 hearings so far.

His case also remained under trial in the Islamabad High Court which ordered the election commission to dispose of the case within two months.

Vawda also went to the Sindh High Court praying it to direct the ECP to stop it from releasing its decision regarding his disqualification. However, he later withdrew his petition and the court disposed of his case.

Faisal Vawda was elected as MNA from NA-249 Karachi in 2018. But when his disqualification was sought, he resigned from the seat of National Assembly and was elected as a senator on March 10, 2021.