ECP summons Vawda in dual citizenship case

KARACHI: The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda in a case pertaining to his dual citizenship on Thursday. The petitioners, Advocate Qadir Khan Mandokhel and others had filed a disqualification petition against Faisal Wawda for concealing his dual citizenship, which has now been fixed by the Election Commission for hearing on July 20.

A bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja will hear the petition for which the ECP has directed the minister to appear in person or through a lawyer.

Faisal Wawda had won the 2018 general election from the 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 Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that he did not hold any foreign nationality

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.