Apex court tells Vawda to admit mistake

The Supreme Court asked former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Faisal Vawda on Thursday to admit his mistake and accept the one-time disqualification, otherwise the court had enough material for his disqualification under 62(1)(f).

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayesha Malik, heard Vawda’s appeal against a decision of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which had upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling for his disqualification because of dual nationalities.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Bandial said that either Vawda should admit his mistake and be disqualified under 63(1)(c), otherwise the court would proceed with the case under 62(1)f. he added that there was enough material before the court to disqualify Faisal Vawda for life.

The chief justice emphasised that Vawda must admit his mistake in writing, adding that Vawda must appear before the court and say that he changed the date of dual citizenship. He directed Vawda's lawyer to bring the certificate of renunciation of US citizenship by Vawda.

The lawyer argued that the ECP was not a court of law, therefore; it did not have the power to disqualify anyone for life. The chief justice told the lawyer that there was material before the court which proved that Vawda gave a false affidavit.

Justice Malik said that if the ECP did not have the authority, then the IHC had the authority to declare lifelong disqualification. Justice Mansoor Shah asked the lawyer why couldn’t the Supreme Court disqualify him for life with the evidence in front of the court.

The court observed that Vawda told many lies to cover up one lie, adding that he submitted the affidavit not for a job but for the election. Being honest and trustworthy was a condition for contesting elections, the judge emphasised. “There is no room for mistake in politics,” he said.

After which the court adjourned further hearing of the case till Friday (today).