IHC rejects Vawda’s plea to stop ECP disqualification case against him

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday rejected a petition filed by PTI leader Faisal Vawda seeking a stay on the hearings in the disqualification case against him in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) because he held dual nationality.

Vawda had challenged the ECP’s October 12 decision and his petition was dismissed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.

Justice Minallah said that an application had been filed against Vawda within 60 days and called upon the senator to prove his innocence and let the ECP take action in accordance with the law if he was in the clear.

“What are you afraid of? Let the Election Commission hear the case, Justice Minallah said.

Your application is not maintainable, it is hence rejected, he said.

What is the case?

Vawda had won the 2018 general election from Karachi’s NA-249 constituency.

In January this year, an investigative report published in a news paper had revealed that Vawda may have committed perjury by falsely declaring in an oath to the ECP that he did not hold any foreign nationality.

According to a published report, Vawda was in possession of a United States passport at the time he filed his nomination papers on June 11, 2018. The minister remained an American national even at the time the scrutiny of his nomination papers were completed.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan in a past judgment has categorically ruled that candidates who hold dual nationality are supposed to submit a renunciation certificate of the foreign nationality along with their nomination papers.

The same judgment has previously led to the disqualification of various lawmakers, notable among whom Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senators Saadia Abbasi and Haroon Akhtar.

Read more: PM Imran Khan profiteering & hoarding will not be tolerated