SHC issues notice to PTI MNA Faisal Vawda on disqualification plea

The Sindh High Court on Thursday issued notices to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Faisal Vawda on a petition filed against him alleging that he concealed details of his properties abroad.

Petitioner Qadir Khan Mandokhel submitted in the petition that PTI candidate Faisal Vawda, who is an elected MNA from NA-249, submitted a false declaration with regard to his assets and properties, US nationality and bank loans while filing the nomination papers before the returning officer for last month’s general elections.

He alleged that Vawda was still a US national and he did not surrender his nationality, contending that the returning officer did not consider the objection he had filed against Vawda’s nomination papers.

He submitted that the PTI candidate concealed financial assistance of approximately Rs40 million obtained from the former Royal Bank of Scotland in the 2000s for the purpose of purchasing a 2,033 square yard bungalow in DHA Phase-V. The petitioner said that Vawda failed to provide the money trail for the purchase of properties abroad.

He further submitted that the respondent failed to provide the details of mortgage loans obtained from UK and Malaysian banks and also concealed the description of moveable properties and did not provide documentary evidence.

Mandokhel further alleged that despite having more than Rs130 million assets, the PTI leader did not pay a single penny as tax and concealed facts from the Federal Board of Revenue.

He submitted that due to the concealment of certain facts from the election commission, the PTI MNA does not fulfil the mandatory requirements of Article 62 of the Constitution for becoming the eligible candidate of Parliament and he may be declared disqualified.

The court was informed that the security guard present at Vawda’s house refused to receive the court notice as Vawda was out of the city. The SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar issued notices to the MNA and directed the ECP counsel to file comments on the petition. The hearing was adjourned till September 11.