ECP disqualifies Vawda for life in dual nationality case

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finally announced the verdict in PTI leader Faisal Vawda's dual nationality case, declaring him ineligible for holding the seat of a senator.

ECP had reserved the verdict on PPP MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhail's plea seeking Vawda's disqualification on December 23, 2021.

In today's hearing, a three-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, announced taking the notification for Vawda's election as a Senator back.

The bench gave the observation that Vawda resigned from the National Assembly seat to cover his crime.
It directed the PTI leader to turn in all the financial benefits and privileges he had been enjoying as a Senator within two months.

However, the ECP stated that Vawda can still reach out to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict for his disqualification.

It is pertinent to mention that Vawda had resigned as an MNA in March 2021, on the day of Senate election, but he will no longer be a Senator after the conclusion of his disqualification case.

The petitioners, PPP MNA Qadir Khan Mandokhail, Asif Mehmood and Mian Faisal, had contended that Vawda had concealed his US nationality while submitting his nomination papers to the returning officer for the National Assembly seat, and refrained from stating the date of his renunciation of the US nationality despite being asked by the ECP several times.

During the trial, Vawda received multiple warnings and extensions for the submission of his arguments to counter the prosecution's stance.