Federal Minister Faisal Vawda tendered his resignation from the National Assembly after casting his vote in the Senate election. The counsel of Vawda informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) about Vawda’s resignation from the assembly, which was hearing a disqualification petition against the Federal Water Resources Minister.
Faisal Vawda has resigned from NA. His resignation is not accepted yet. Therefore, he will cast vote in #SenateElections2021.
— Ali Raza (@AliRazaTweets) March 3, 2021
An IHC bench comprising of Justice Aamir Farooq hearing a petition seeking disqualification of the PTI leader as member of the National Assembly.
The court reserved its verdict in the disqualification case.
اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ ، فیصل واوڈا کی نااہلی کیلئے دائر درخواست پر فیصلہ محفوظ#FaisalVawda pic.twitter.com/bDzYwZLuCB
— AbbTakk (@AbbTakk) March 3, 2021
Earlier, the minister’s counsel submitted a copy of the resignation of Faisal Vawda from the lower house of the parliament. The counsel also said that the resignation letter was duly signed by the Speaker and the petition against him becomes ineffective against him after resignation from the NA seat.
The high court bench had summoned the MNAs record from the election commission in previous hearing of the case.
The counsel had pleaded to the court that the Election Commission of Pakistan had not de-notified Faisal Vawda.
Barrister Jahangir Khan Jadoon, the counsel for petitioner Mian Muhammad Faisal, alleged that Faisal Vawda lied in the June 11, 2018 affidavit he submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) before the 2018 elections that he had given up his dual nationality.
He said the minister was an American national at that time but he fibbed in the affidavit, adding he held the US citizenship even when his nomination papers were being scrutinised.
The petitions seek Vawda’s removal from the public office under clause 62-1 (F) of the constitution.
It is worth noting that Faisal Vawda is accused of hiding his dual nationality while filing nomination papers back in 2018. According to a report, published by The News, Mr. Vawda was a US national when he submitted his documents in June, 2018.
According to the report, the last date to file nomination papers for the elections held in July 2018 was June 8 and later extended for another three days. Taking his documents and evidence, Vawda submitted election papers on the last date — June 11, 2018 —along with an affidavit wherein he declared himself holding no citizenship other than that of Pakistani. The Returning Officer (RO) of NA-249 Karachi, his electoral constituency, approved his nomination papers on June 18, 2018. It was only after this approval that Vawda applied for renunciation of his US nationality in US Consulate Karachi meaning thereby he was an American citizen at the time of filing.
Legal experts believe that whoever holds dual nationality at the time of submitting their nomination papers is set for instant disqualification. Moreover, the person concerned could be penalized for perjury as well.
PTI’s leader often remains in the spotlight for all wrong reasons. Recently, Mr. Vawda was in the news for flashing ‘military boot’ in a live TV show at opposition members of PPP and PML-N, ridiculing them for their unconditional support for Army Act Amendment Bill while disparaging the ruling party, PTI as the stooge of Establishment all this while.
Read More: Faisal Vawda “Military Boot” stunt: Will PM Imran take notice?
Before that, he was schooled by his own party after his heroic entry at the site of a terror attack at the Chinese Embassy in Karachi. Faisal Vawda was spotted along with the Police wearing a bullet-resistant vest and a gun in hand.
PM Imran Khan also bashed and reprimanded Faisal Vawda, personally after he reached Line of Control and had himself photographed with the rubble of downed Indian fighter Jet. His stunt was not taken well in the party.