Dual nationality case: IHC issues notice to federal minister Faisal Vawda

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has on Wednesday sought reply from Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda till February 24 in dual nationality case.

The plea seeking disqualification of Faisal Vawda was heard by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani.

Vawda was a dual national at the time of filing nomination papers for general elections in 2018 and he concealed his American citizenship by falsely declaring on oath to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that he didn’t have any foreign nationality, the petition reads.

The IHC has also served notices to the cabinet, law and justice ministry, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Secretary National Assembly. The hearing of the case was later, adjourned till February 24.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan in its judgment has categorically directed that the candidates who previously held dual nationality shall have the renunciation certificate at the time of filing of nomination papers.

Various legislators were disqualified by the apex court on this count including almost all the major political parties of Pakistan.

Some of them had applied for renunciation of foreign citizenship much earlier but were unable to obtain the renunciation certificate at the time of filing of nomination papers because of the long process and they lost the membership due to this constitutional obstacle to becoming the member of parliament.