Tribunal finds Faisal Vawda eligible to contest Senate polls

SHC's election tribunal upholds ECP's decision; rejects PPP candidate Qadir Khan Mandokhail’s appeal

KARACHI:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda was declared eligible to contest Senate polls on Tuesday.

The decision was announced by the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) election tribunal hearing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Qadir Khan Mandokhail’s appeal against approval of Vawda's nomination papers for the March 3 Senate elections.

In his petition, Mandokhail maintained that the federal minister concealed the facts about his US citizenship. He observed that objection regarding this was also submitted before the returning officer, but he refused to listen to them.

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A petition seeking the federal minister's disqualification is also being heard in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). However, no decision has been announced so far.

Faisal Vawda's nomination papers were accepted by the ECP on February 18. However, they were subsequently challenged.

On February 21, the SHC set up an election tribunal to hear petitions challenging the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers by the ECP for the Senate polls.

Vawda's selection for Senate elections by the PTI is also currently under debate by fellow party members.

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Earlier, the ruling party faced criticism from party cadres over awarding of Senate tickets due to which it failed to finalise the list of candidates ahead of the last day for the submission of nomination papers with the ECP.

The PTI's Sindh chapter voiced concerns over giving Federal Minister Faisal Vawda and construction contractor Saifullah Abro Senate tickets, whereas the K-P chapter expressed reservations against awarding tickets to Najiullah Khattak, a businessman, and Faisal Saleem, a party worker.