SC hears Faisal Vawda’s plea against lifetime disqualification

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday heard Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Faisal Vawda’s plea against lifetime disqualification over dual nationality.

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

“We want to strengthen and empower the election commission,” Chief Justice Bandial said. “Don’t want decision of the election commission be removed in a writ,” chief justice remarked. “The election commission is specialist in electoral matters,” Justice Bandial said.

“The Islamabad High Court (IHC) also withheld the decision about lifetime disqualification,” Justice Bandial observed.

“If the election commission will become a court with the high court’s decision,” petitioner’s counsel questioned.

“The high court didn’t decide jurisdiction of the election commission,” Waseem Sajjad said. “The ECP failed to determine the facts of the matter correctly,” the counsel further argued. “Not being provided an opportunity to cross-examine the officials of the United States embassy,” Waseem Sajjad said.

“Faisal Vawda contacted for relinquishing the US nationality after filing nomination papers,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah remarked. “No objection lodged against Vawda as member of the Senate,” his counsel said.

“The election commission is not a court to declare lifetime disqualification,” counsel Waseem Sajjad said.

The bench adjourned further hearing of the case until October 19.

An ECP bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner 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.

Earlier in April, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea by Vawda to suspend the ECP’s February 16 verdict regarding his lifetime disqualification.