Faisal Vawda submits resignation to Senate chairman

• SC revoked Vawda's lifetime disqualification in November.
• ECP disqualified Faisal over having dual nationality.
• Vawda was elected Senator on PTI ticket in 2018. 

Former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ex-leader Faisal Vawda Wednesday submitted his resignation to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani in pursuance of the Supreme Court's ruling in his disqualification case.

Vawda was elected as a senator on the PTI ticket in 2018.

On December 9, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) restored the former federal minister as a senator after SC revoked his lifetime disqualification.

After the SC decision, the ECP withdrew its earlier notification of declaring Vawda's seat from Sindh as vacant. Pakistan People's Party's (PPP) Nisar Ahmad Khuhro was elected a member of the Senate in March this year in the same seat. However, the ECP has retracted its March 15, 2022, notification of Khuhro’s victory.

Vawda was disqualified by the ECP in February this year in a dual nationality case. The former PTI leader was elected member of the upper house of the Parliament in March 2021 on a PTI ticket. 

However, in line with the SC's verdict, Vawda was to resign, and the commission to re-elect another senator to fill the seat vacated after Vawda's resignation.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan in October terminated Vawda's basic membership for violating the party policy. 

Supreme Court verdict

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that the ECP has no jurisdiction under the constitution to decide upon the pre-election disqualification of a lawmaker.

In its four-page short order, the top court nullified the verdicts of the ECP and the high court. It said: "ECP has no jurisdiction [...] to inquire into and decide upon the matter of pre-election disqualification and disqualification of a returned candidate."

Vawda's termination from PTI

On October 26, Vawda held a press conference in Islamabad and claimed that PTI's long march — which began from Lahore on October 28 — would see bloodshed, death, and funerals.

Following his remarks, the party first suspended his membership as he failed to respond to the show-cause notice issued to him on the day of his fiery presser.

PTI confirmed the termination of Vawda's basic membership on Twitter.

PTI also said that Vawda would not be allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media as he had "grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines."