Zubair Qureshi
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday issued the detailed judgment in the disqualification case of Federal Minister Faisal Vawda.
The IHC, in its detailed order, stated prima facie the affidavit submitted by the PTI leader MNA from Karachi regarding his dual nationality is “false”.
Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC had on March 3 disposed of the petition challenging Vawda’s election after the minister submitted his resignation from the National Assembly.
“Since the affidavits were tendered before the Election Commission of Pakistan it is just and proper that the Election Commission of Pakistan probes into the matter of veracity of affidavit furnished by Faisal Vawda on 11.06.2018 and if same is found to be false to stipulate the effect thereof pursuant to observations made in PLD 2020 SC 591,” the order says.
The judgement also notes that since the lawmaker has resigned as Member National Assembly (MNA) no writ of quo-warranto can be issued with respect to holding dual nationality.
“However, the matter of furnishing false affidavit is to be probed by the Election Commission of Pakistan since the same was submitted before it and the Commission may pass appropriate orders with respect to the same,” it added.
The court also observed with “dismay that the former minister lingered on the matter by not filing reply under one pretext or the other which delayed the adjudication of the matter”.
It is worth noting that Faisal Vawda is accused of hiding his dual nationality while filing nomination papers back in 2018.
