The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary board has said it will stick with its decision of nominating MNA Faisal Vawda as its candidate for the upcoming Senate elections from Sindh.
Reportedly, this decision was taken during a meeting of the parliamentary board chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, wherein the premier said that Vawda has rendered services for the party.
Last week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had handed out a fine of Rs50,000 on Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda for repeatedly seeking adjournment of disqualification proceedings against him.
The commission had also directed him to appear in-person in the next hearing.
The ECP has been since January 2020 hearing the claim against Vawda seeking his disqualification for purportedly holding dual nationality at the time of filing of nomination papers for the 2018 general elections.
Presiding over the proceedings, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja had said that the case has already been delayed, reprimanding the defence counsel for indulging in delaying practices.
As the hearing resumed Tuesday, assistant defence counsel, Hasnain Ali Chohan, had sought an adjournment due to the engagement of Vawda’s counsel, Muhammad bin Mohsin, in a Lahore court.
While the party has been facing backlash over its fielded candidates in the upcoming Senate elections, this controversy has now been underscored when the friend of First Lady Bushra Bibi submitted her nomination papers for the Senate election, it emerged.
According to a report by a local news outlet, Farhat Shahzadi alias Farah Khan submitted nomination papers for the reserved seat for women. Moreover, her papers to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were submitted at the last minute through her lawyer instead of being submitted in person.
The ruling PTI has additionally issued its official ticket to Dr Zarqa for the ladies’ seat from Punjab.
Farhat is the wife of former district council chairman Ahsan Iqbal Jamil and daughter-in-law of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Chaudhry Iqbal.
The ECP has announced the schedule for the holding of elections for the upper house of the parliament on March 3. Monday was the last day for candidates to submit their nomination papers.
