Dual nationality case: SC turns down Faisal Vawda's plea

The Supreme Court (SC) turned down on Tuesday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Faisal Vawda's petition over the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to disqualify him for concealing his dual nationality, Aaj News reported.

During the hearing, the SC bench issued notices to the ECP and PTI MNA Abdul Qadir Mandokhel to file their response to Vawda's petition.

On February 9, the ECP had disqualified Vawda and also directed him to return the salary and other benefits he had received as an MNA within two months.

A three-member ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja comprising Nisar Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi had reserved the verdict last year in December on applications seeking disqualification of Vawda for allegedly concealing the information about his dual nationality.

Lifelong disqualification: Faisal Vawda approaches SC against ECP's verdict

Following the ECP's judgment, Vawda had approached the SC, saying that he did not hide anything from the ECP and had also submitted his cancelled US passport. The petition said that the ECP did not have the power to disqualify him for life and that it was not a competent court of law.

He requested the SC to annul the ECP's decision and restore his senatorship.