SC hears Faisal Vawda's plea against lifetime disqualification

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Faisal Vawda’s appeal against lifetime disqualification over dual nationality, ARY News reported.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial heard the petition. The bench also includes Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayisha Malik.

“The returning officer had seen the cancelled US passport of Faisal Vawda,” his counsel told the court. “You are referring the cancelled passport, which was already expired,” Justice Ayisha Malik remarked.

“The returning officer was shown the passport in year 2018, which was expired in year 2015,” Justice Malik further said. “When you get issuance of new passport, the old one stamps as ‘cancelled’, the Judge further remarked. “How could a cancelled passport proves relinquishing the citizenship,” Justice Malik questioned.

“It has become a very serious issue,” Chief Justice of Pakistan remarked. “Another lie of Faisal Vawda has come to surface,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said.

“It was the text of affidavit and not the passport of another country,” Vawda’s counsel said. “Passport in the affidavit means citizenship of another country,” Justice Shah remarked.

“The passport on the record and the cancelled passport have different numbers,” Justice Ayisha Malik observed. “These different numbers indicate that a new passport has also been issued,” Justice Malik added.

“The election commission has not been authorized to declare any person disqualified for life,” Vawda’s counsel argued. “The high court has authority to declare a person disqualified for life,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said.

Faisal Vawda’s counsel Waseem Sajjad sought more time from the court for case preparation. “You won’t have answers to these questions in next week,” Justice Shah said.

The court adjourned further hearing of the case till the next week.

An ECP bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, had disqualified PTI’s Faisal Vawda for concealing his dual nationality with a direction to return the salary and other benefits he had received as a minister and National Assembly member within two months. He was also de-notified as a Senator.