The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected the appeal by PTI’s Senator Faisal Vawda for the proceedings of the disqualification case against him to be stayed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah dismissed the petition filed by Vawda against the ECP decision to continue proceedings in his case.
Appearing before the IHC, Vawda’s legal counsel Hasnain Ali Chauhan took the view that the ECP had not been able to decide the case within 60 days of him being elected and thus the petition against Vawda ought to be considered invalid, since it was overdue.
Justice Minallah asked in response:
“According to which law are you saying this?”
According to Justice Minallah, an application had indeed been filed against Vawda within 60 days of his election, that it was now up to the Senator to clear himself before the ECP.
Eventually, after considering the arguments by Vawda’s legal representation, Justice Minallah rejected his plea, and found it inadmissible.
The court order went on to note:
“Likewise, the petitioner is expected to establish his bonafides by participating in the proceedings regarding the probe relating to the affidavit, failing which it would amount to an attempt to frustrate the implementation of the unambiguous direction of the august Supreme Court.”
The petition against Vawda filed in 2020 before the ECP took the view that he had misled the Commission as to his nationality status. It held that he provided a false statement under oath and therefore ought to be disqualified under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution of Pakistan.
