ECP reserves verdict in Faisal Vawda disqualification case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday reserved its verdict in a case relating to the disqualification of the PTI’s Senator Faisal Vawda.

An ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja has reserved its ruling after the complainant — PPP MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhail — completed his arguments.

At the outset of today's hearing, Qadir Khan Mandokhail and Faisal Vawda appeared before an ECP bench. CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja asked Mandokhail whether he wanted to present more documents or give additional arguments.

Mandokhail said today is the 30th hearing if the case but he could not get the answers to his questions. The PPP leader said, “ECP has been issuing warnings for the last one-and-a-half years.”

On this, Raja said that the ECP will decide the case it gets the answers or not.

Mandokhail was of the view that Faisal Vawda had held US nationality at the time of filing his election nomination papers. He said that the concerned RO was not punished as he had rejected his papers instead of disqualifying Vawda.

The PPP leader said that Vawda had falsely declared in an oath to the ECP that he did not hold any foreign nationality. The PTI leader had concealed his dual nationalityy during the scrutiny of his nomination papers, said Mandokhail.

Vawda’s counsel rejected the allegations, saying that his client had never applied for another country's nationality. He said Vawda was born in the US and that his client had cancelled his American passport.

As per the NADRA’s record, Vawda’s US citizenship had been seized on May 29, 2018, said his counsel.

The chief election commissioner inquired whether NADRA could issue a certificate that says an individual is a Pakistani citizen and not that of any other country. 

"How can NADRA know this? We will look into this matter," said the chief election commissioner. 

After hearing the arguments of both sides, the ECP reserved its verdict in Vawda’s disqualification case.

The ECP had adjourned the hearing till December 23 while directing Vawda to submit his arguments by this date.

ECP gives Vawda last chance to explain dual nationality

On December 2, Vawda had been directed by the ECP to submit his arguments in writing related to the disqualification case against him by December 23.

The ECP officials had stated that Vawda had not submitted his arguments in writing. At this, Vawda had requested an extension for the submission of the arguments, saying that his lawyer had someone ailing in his family.

Sikandar Raja had countered Vawda's excuse, saying that the case was already facing considerable delay, and directed him to submit the arguments.

"A clear directive had been passed for the submission of written arguments," he had 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 The News 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 The News, 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.