Acceptance of Vawda’s Senate papers challenged in SHC

KARACHI: An appeal has been filed against the acceptance of the nomination papers of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf leader Faisal Vawda for the forthcoming Senate elections before the SHC election tribunal. Appellant Qadir Khan Mandokhel submitted in the petition that the returning officer accepted PTI MNA Faisal Vawda’s nomination papers without proper appreciation of facts and law. The appellant submitted that Vawda had misdeclared about his properties, assets and dual nationality in his nomination paper at the time of the general election 2018 as such he cannot be considered to be “Sadiq and Ameen” in terms of Article 62 of the Constitution. Mandokhel submitted that nomination papers of the PTI leader should have not been entertained as Vawda is still a MNA and sitting federal minister and he cannot apply or file his nomination form for the Senate unless he has given an application to forego his National Assembly seat and his ministerial responsibilities. The appellant submitted that his complaint against Faisal Vawda was already pending before the Election Commission and the Islamabad High Court for disqualifying him from becoming MNA due for filing a misdeclaration in nomination forms of 2018 elections. The court was requested to reject Vawda’s nomination form and disqualify him from contesting the Senate polls.