SHC issues notices on plea seeking disqualification of Faisal Vawda

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday heard a petition seeking disqualification of Federal Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda over allegedly concealing his dual nationality before the election, ARY News reported.

The high court bench issued notices to Faisal Vawda, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and others and summoned their reply on the matter by March 12.

The matter will be decided after hearing the parties, the bench observed.

Advocate Qadir Khan Mandokhel in his petition said that the minister concealed his dual citizenship at the time of filing nomination papers from the election commission before the general election of 2018.

“When the matter was taken in the court, Faisal Vawda quietly applied to surrender his US nationality,” the petitioner claimed.

“The evidence suggests that Mr. Vawda was holding dual citizenship at the time of the polls”, petitioner said. “Thus he should be disqualified and be ordered to return all perks and privileges”.

The high court admitted petition for hearing.

Earlier, a petition was also filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking disqualification of Faisal Vawda.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani hearing the petition sought reply from Vawda till February 24 in dual nationality case.

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 said.

The IHC had also served notices to the cabinet, law and justice ministry, the ECP and the Secretary National Assembly.

Supreme Court of Pakistan in its judgment over the issue had categorically directed that the candidates who previously held dual nationality shall have the renunciation certificate at the time of filing of nomination papers, the plea said.

Moreover, the election commission also hearing a petition seeking disqualification of the Water Resources Minister over allegedly concealing his dual citizenship.

The election commission had issued notices to the parties for hearing of the petition regarding submission of false affidavit.

Chairman Aman Taraki Party, Faiq Shah in his plea said that Vawda concealed his dual nationality and submitted a false affidavit in the election commission with his nomination papers.

The plea seeks Vawda’s removal from the public office under clause 62-1 (F) of the constitution.

Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution pertains to the qualification of members of the Parliament.

The petition said that Faisal Vawda was a dual national when he had subimitted his nomination papers to contest election for a National Assembly seat and he concealed his dual nationality.

The petition said that the minister is no longer Sadiq and Ameen (truthful and trustworthy) as he filed a false affidavit with regard to his nationality.