Investigative reporting by The News suggests that Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda may have provided false information to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about his nationality status at the time of filing his nomination papers on the 11th of June, 2018. If true, this would amount to perjury on the part of the Minister.
The report states that there are documents showing that in June 2018, Vawda had declared that had only Pakistani citizenship at that time. But, according to the investigation, the Minister actually had a US passport at that time – and that his status as a US citizen continued even up to the point when the nomination process in Pakistan was complete.
False declaration of dual nationality has been a serious problem for elected politicians from a number of political parties. The Supreme Court has ruled definitively that Pakistani law requires a citizen to give up any other nationalities when submitting their nomination papers to the Election Commission. This means handing in documentary proof of having renounced any foreign nationalities if applicable.
The report states that there are documents showing that in June 2018, Vawda had declared that had only Pakistani citizenship at that time. But, according to the investigation, the Minister actually had a US passport at that time – and that his status as a US citizen continued even up to the point when the nomination process in Pakistan was complete.
False declaration of dual nationality has been a serious problem for elected politicians from a number of political parties. The Supreme Court has ruled definitively that Pakistani law requires a citizen to give up any other nationalities when submitting their nomination papers to the Election Commission. This means handing in documentary proof of having renounced any foreign nationalities if applicable.