ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday clubbed a contempt of court petition against Federal Minister Faisal Vawda with the main case seeking his disqualification for allegedly concealing his US nationality.

A single bench of IHC, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, conducted hearing of the petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against the minister for not submitting his reply despite court orders in a petition seeking Vawda’s disqualification for allegedly concealing his US nationality.

During the hearing, petitioner Mian Faisal adopted that in order to avoid the due process of law; the minister is obstructing the course of justice and not complying with the order of this court dated January 29.

He contended that if the grievance of the petitioner is not redressed according to law and an appropriate stern legal action is not taken against the respondent for the contempt of court, the public at large will suffer an irreparable loss and injury.

The petitioner requested the court to summon Vawda in person and punish him according to law.

Justice Aamer remarked that in this matter, the petitioner’s application for early hearing of the main petition has been accepted and therefore, he directed to club the contempt petition with the main case for further hearing.

The contempt of court petition was filed by an Islamabad-based lawyer Mian Muhammad Faisal who is also petitioner in a petition seeking disqualification of Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda for allegedly concealing his US nationality at the time of filing his nomination papers to contest the last general elections.

The petitioner stated that he filed a writ petition against the respondent Vawda while challenging his holding of office as an MNA and Federal Minister. He added that after preliminary arguments on the case on January 29, the court admitted the case for hearing.

He adopted that he annexed strong documentary evidence against him that he was not qualified to become an MNA on the relevant time of submission of nomination papers for the seat of MNA. He continued that the record showed that the Minister was holding the nationality of USA on June 11, 2018.

Mian Faisal said that in the light of prima facie evidence against Vawda, the court issued an order dated January 29, 2020 saying, “issue notice to the respondent who shall file report and para wise comments/ reply so as to reach this court within a fortnight.”

He contended that despite the passing of five months, the respondent did not bother to file his reply in compliance of the above order of the court. He added that as the respondent is holder of public office and enjoying the status of the Federal Minister in the cabinet and he is part of every decision of the cabinet.

Therefore, he prayed to the court that the petition may be accepted by issuance of an appropriate order.