The Supreme Court Friday reduced the lifelong disqualification of former federal minister Faisal Vawda into five years, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Faisal Vawda was disqualified for five years under Article 63 (1)(C), the court remarked.
“Faisal Vawda has admitted the mistake. If he did not admit the mistake, the case of lifelong disqualification would continue,” said the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
The Supreme Court also ordered Faisal Vawda to resign from the Senate seat.
Faisal Vawda apologised unconditionally to the court and also announced resigning from the Senate seat.
Earlier, while speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court before the hearing of the case, Faisal Vawda said that he would accept whatever the court ordered.
“I am no longer a part of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). But despite that, I never spoke about Imran Khan before, nor will I do that in future. Imran Khan will come to Islamabad and hold a rally. Politics will start from there,” he stated.
During the hearing of the case, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said to Faisal Vawda: “We have enough material to disqualify you for life. If you want to say something in your defence, the case of lifelong disqualification will continue.”
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said to Faisal Vawda: “We have not summoned you to the Supreme Court to humiliate you. It has never been the desire of the court to humiliate the members of the Parliament. [But] you made a false statement in your nomination papers as a member of the National Assembly.”
The chief justice added: “The purpose of the court is not to punish anyone but to regulate according to law. You had filed an application to give up dual nationality, but the application was not approved at that time.”
He told Faisal Vawda: “If you admit the mistake, you will be disqualified for five years. You misled everyone for three years. Apologise before the court first and then say I resign. If you apologise in front of the court and resign with good intentions, the disqualification will be for five years.”
Faisal Vawda told the court: “There was no intention to give a false affidavit. I will accept whatever the court orders.”
At this, Justice Ayesha Malik said to Faisal Vawda: “Say what you are being asked before the court.”
The chief justice also said: “Say that according to the law, you were not eligible to be a member of the assembly at that time. If you admit the mistake, you will be disqualified from the commencement of the term of the current assembly.”
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah questioned: “Which year is the citizenship renunciation certificate of and when did you resign as a member of the assembly?”
Faisal Vawda replied: “I gave up dual citizenship on June 25, 2018. I resigned from the National Assembly seat on March 30, 2021.”
The chief justice remarked: “Faisal Vawda has been a member of the National Assembly for three years. The Supreme Court does not want to degrade the parliamentarians. Your lifelong disqualification will be void, but you have to resign from the Senate seat.”
He added: “We are not making hurting the court’s confidence the base of the case. The Supreme Court has given relief to senators several times.”
In his reply, Faisal Vawda said: “I admit that I have resigned myself with good intentions. I accept disqualification under Article 63(1)(C).”
The court accepted Faisal Vawda’s apology and annulled the order of his lifelong disqualification.
Reporter Amanat Gishkori