ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Federal Minster for Water Resources Faisal Vawda for his continued absence in dual nationality case and warned that the verdict in the case would be announced on February 24 in case the minister “kept shying away from the case.”

A five-member ECP bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and comprising of all the four ECP members came down hard on an ‘associate’ of Vawda’s counsel Muhammad Bin Mohsin who was absent from the case proceedings. Mohsin, Vawda’s counsel, was represented by one of his associates without having power of attorney to do so.

This did not go down well with the ECP. “It seems that the minister is not serious in pursuing this case. We have had enough. We would not tolerate this kind of attitude anymore. There is a limit to seeking adjournments. He just cannot skip the proceedings on every occasion citing lame excuses,” said CEC, before the case was adjourned till February 24.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021