ISLAMABAD   -   The Supreme Court of Pakistan Thursday said that it wants to strengthen the Election Commission of Paki­stan (ECP) and doesn’t not like its verdict be set aside by the court in writ jurisdiction.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Jus­tice of Pakistan Jus­tice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ayesha Malik conducted hearing of an appeal of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s former senator Faisal Vawda, against the verdicts of Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Election Commission of Paki­stan (ECP) in the dual nationality case.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice said, “We want to strengthen and empower the elec­tion commission,” and do not want decision of the election commis­

 sion be removed in a writ. He remarked that the elec­tion commission is specialist in electoral matters.

Justice Bandial said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) also withheld the decision about the lifetime disqualification of Vawda.

Waseem Sajjad, representing ex-Senator Faisal Vaw­da, said that if the election commission would become a court with the high court’s decision. He added that the high court did not decide jurisdiction of the elec­tion commission. He further said that the ECP failed to determine the facts of the matter correctly.

Justice Mansoor remarked that Faisal Vawda con­tacted for relinquishing the US nationality after filing nomination papers. “No objection was lodged against Vawda as member of the Senate,” the counsel said and added that the election commission is not a court to declare lifetime disqualification.

Later, the bench deferred the hearing of the case till October 19 for further proceedings.

The ECP in February this year had disqualified Vaw­da for concealing his US citizenship and directed him to return the salary and other benefits he had received as a minister and as Senator, within two months. It had also de-notified him as a senator. Then, Vawda approached the apex court and sought to set aside a declaration by the ECP on February 9 which led to his disqualification as a lawmaker for life. Vawda pleaded that the ECP had cited no reason for invoking Article 62(1f) of the Constitution to disqualify.