Tag: Faisal Vawda

  • Politicians criticise, reject recent leaked property records

    Politicians criticise, reject recent leaked property records

    Zulfiqar Ali Badr, spokesperson for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has said that the Dubai properties of the former Foreign Minister and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari are declared before the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    The spokesperson said, “The entire world knows that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Aseefa Bibi grew up in exile.”

    His remarks came as a global team of investigative journalists revealed details of properties owned by the world’s elite in Dubai.

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticised the leaked property records, stating that there was “nothing new in them.”

    He also claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the names of prominent figures like Pervez Musharraf, Shaukat Aziz, Faisal Vawda, and others were also in the Panama leaks, which they didn’t ever deny.

    Similarly, independent senator Faisal Vawda stated on Tuesday that the “Dubai leaks” are part of propaganda, and the timing of the publication of the report is “questionable” as Pakistan is nearing attracting foreign investment.

  • Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Faisal Vawda decide to remain single in Senate

    Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Faisal Vawda decide to remain single in Senate

    Former caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda announced on Tuesday that they will not join either the government nor opposition sides in the Senate. 

    The Senate Secretariat released a notification about the six independent senators in the senate and their decision to join a party.
    According to the issued notification, two out of the six senators, Kakar and Vawda, decided to not join any side in the Senate.

    Similarly, Senator Mohsin Naqvi, who is also a federal interior minister, was not sure about joining a side in the upper house.

    However, Naqvi’s name was mentioned as a senator on the treasury bench with an additional note of “(Federal Minister, however, not yet opted)”.

    Senator Abdul Qadir joined the government benches after winning the senate polls. The senator was initially part of PTI and then left the party after May 9.

  • Faisal Vawda to join MQM-P?

    Faisal Vawda to join MQM-P?

    The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has expressed willingness to let former federal minister Faisal Vawda join the party before the Senate elections take place on April 2.

    “We had invited Vawda to join [MQM-P] in the past […] I pray that he joins the party’s ranks,” MQM-P leader Rauf Siddiqui said while speaking with journalists in Karachi.

    MQM-P head Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, who is also a candidate for senate polls, said that the party has fielded a total of eight candidates for the upper house.

    However, Faisal Vawda has confirmed that he is still an “independent” political leader.

    “I’m still independent,” Vawda said during a press conference in Karachi, adding that he would consider joining a political party when it’s in “season,”  as independent candidates are currently trending.

    Vawda expressed doubt about the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) securing power in Islamabad.

  • Shehbaz Sharif will contest elections from Karachi’s NA-242

    Shehbaz Sharif will contest elections from Karachi’s NA-242

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif announced plans to take part in the upcoming general elections from Karachi’s NA-242 constituencies, Geo News reported on Friday.

    In the last general elections, Shehbaz Sharif contested from NA-249 constituency of Karachi, but former Pakistan Thereek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda defeated him by a slim margin.

    However, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) announced on December 23 that no agreement had been reached for seat adjustments with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regarding the NA-242 constituency in the Kemari district.

    The party’s representative dismissed all claims about a seat arrangement with the Shehbaz Sharif-led party.

    The spokesperson added that MQM-P Senior Deputy Convenor Mustafa Kamal is the party’s candidate for the seat.

    Shehbaz Sharif said while addressing a press conference in Karachi that PML-N will resolve the issue of transport in Karachi after winning the election on February 8 next year.

  • Faisal Vawda admits that Imran did remove Asim Munir as DG ISI in 2019 for exposing Bushra Bibi’s corruption

    Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prominent leader Faisal Vawda has claimed that Imran Khan as Prime Minister (PM) removed incumbent army chief Asim Munir in 2019 from the post of Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) when he told Imran about Bushra Bibi’s corruption.

    In Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, he said that he warned Asim Munir not to do so, but the General took the evidence of corruption to Imran Khan.

    When he was asked to stop by Vawda, Gen Munir responded by asking, “Do you want me to be dishonest to my country?”

    He then said that when Gen Munir presented evidence against Bushra Bibi and her friend Farah Gogi, Khan flew into a rage, accusing him of trying to “meddle in the affairs of his family”.

    “On the same day around 11pm, Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid took charge as DG ISI. This shows how much of a hurry Imran Khan was in,” Vawda said.

    During the show, Vawda also revealed that during his prime ministership, Khan approached Gen Munir once to ask him to “manage the Senate”.

    However, he said, Gen Munir rejected the task saying that the army can not interfere.

    Prior to this, Imran categorically termed “completely false” the rumours regarding him removing Gen Munir from the post of DG ISI in 2019 because the then-spymaster wanted to investigate corruption cases involving Bushra Bibi.

  • Committee asks PTI’s Murad Saeed to submit Arshad Sharif’s laptop

    Committee asks PTI’s Murad Saeed to submit Arshad Sharif’s laptop

    A fact-finding committee that is currently investigating the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif has asked Murad Saeed, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, (PTI) to provide the slain newsman’s laptop to the committee on November 28.

    Geo News has reported that the fact-finding committee has written to Saeed that, “During the proceedings of the finding team it has come on record that you are in possession of the Apple MacBook of deceased senior journalist Arshad Sharif. Therefore you are requested to provide the device of the deceased enabling the fact-finding team to ascertain the facts.”

    The committee has also requested Saeed to cooperate.

    In his letter to the FIA fact-finding committee written on November 21, Saeed expressed reservations and refused to cooperate.

    ”The mother of Shaheed Arshad Sharif has already expressed her reservations and expressed dissatisfaction over the govt of Pakistan’s handling of the matter”, Saeed wrote.

    However, he said that he is “willing to appear before the judicial commission constituted by the august SC and present all the information he has with respect to the matter.”

    Earlier this month, the fact-finding committee summoned Murad Saeed and ex-member of PTI, Faisal Vawda.

    Saeed also said that he knew who was threatening the slain journalist in Pakistan, forcing him to flee the country.

    On October 23, Sharif was killed by local police in Kenya in what they said was a case of “mistaken identity”.

  • Faisal Vawda disqualified for one term after apologising to SC

    Faisal Vawda disqualified for one term after apologising to SC

    The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Friday barred former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda from contesting in any poll before the next general elections.

    The apex court disqualified Vawda under Article 63(1)(c) of the Constitution, under which a legislator loses membership of parliament for one term only. As such, he will remain disqualified till 2023 and is eligible to contest the next general or Senate elections.

    Vawda apologised to the court unconditionally and accepted that he misstated about his dual nationality.

    In his apology letter after the hearing, the ex-federal minister admitted that he was not eligible for contesting in elections after admitting that he had submitted a fake affidavit.

    The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial, admonished Vawda for misleading everyone for the last three years. He asked the former lawmaker to apologise before the court and resign from his Senate seat.

    “If you apologise before the court with good intentions, then your disqualification will be limited to five years. In case you do not resign, then the court will proceed under Article 62(1)(f).”

    At this, the former PTI leader said that he apologises unconditionally and that he “did not” intend to submit a false affidavit. Vawda also said that he would accept any punishment that the court doles out.

    A day earlier, the court told Vawda to confess that he submitted a forged affidavit or else he will be disqualified for life.

    Vawda had challenged his disqualification in the Supreme Court after ECP barred him from holding public office in a dual nationality case.

    ECP disqualified Vawda as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and ordered him to withdraw the notification appointing him as senator for concealing his dual nationality.

    Supreme Court says Vawda will be disqualified for lifetime if he doesn’t confess to forgery

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan has on Thursday given former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and ex-senator, Faisal Vawda, an option that could soften his disqualification sentence.

    The top court heard the petition against Vawda’s lifetime disqualification from running or holding public office for concealment of his dual nationality.

    “If Vawda confesses to submitting a forged citizenship affidavit then he will be disqualified for one term; however, if the politician does not, then it will be for a lifetime,” the court said.

    A three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial heard the petition. The court also ordered Vawda to bring forth a certificate proving his renunciation of US citizenship in the next hearing.

    “Vawda should admit his mistake and be disqualified under 63(1) C, otherwise the court shall proceed with the case under 62(1) F,” the Chief Justice said before warning that there was enough material before the court to disqualify Vawda “for life”.

  • ‘Long march mein aanay walay logon se ziada mere mulaazim hain’: Faisal Vawda

    ‘Long march mein aanay walay logon se ziada mere mulaazim hain’: Faisal Vawda

    Former Senator of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Faisal Vawda has said that his party’s ongoing long march is sparsely attended, remarking that, “Long march mein aanay walay logon se ziada mere mulaazim hain,” (I have more employees than the number of people who attend the long march).

    During Samaa News‘ show ‘Nadeem Malik Live’, Vawda criticised his former party members without naming them, calling them “snakes”. He said that these leaders claimed that there would be hundreds of thousands of people participating in the long march. “Jitny log long march main a rahy hain is se zyada toh school ke bachay assembly mei hotay hain,” (More children attend school assembly than the number of people attending the long march).

    Vawda confirmed the meeting between PTI Chief Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa at the President’s House.

    “I helped in arranging that meeting. There were misunderstandings between the two parties but the meeting went well.”

    He claimed that PTI is popular among the people right now, however, he raised questions about why the party is carrying out the long march.

    Last month, Vawda had predicted that PTI’s march would be a bloody one. After that, the former ruling party terminated Vawda’s basic membership.

    PTI said that he 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”.

  • Faisal Vawda and Murad Saeed summoned by  commission looking into Arshad Sharif’s murder

    Faisal Vawda and Murad Saeed summoned by commission looking into Arshad Sharif’s murder

    A fact-finding committee set up by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the murder of senior journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif has Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed and ex-member of the party, Faisal Vawda.

    The two politicians have been directed to appear before the committee next week on November 21.

    The FIA has said that since both politicians have claimed to have known about the threats that Sharif was facing, it is important that they provide all the details they know to the authorities. The agency sent notices to the two leaders to appear before FIA ​​headquarters with evidence.

    Faisal Vawda has claimed he knew who was behind Sharif’s murder. During a press conference, he also claimed that he was in contact with Sharif and stated that he will share evidence with the Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

    Subsequently, his party membership was revoked. PTI said that he 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”.

    Saeed has also said that he knew who was threatening the slain journalist in Pakistan, forcing him to flee the country.

  • ‘Do khaas, teen saanp’: Vawda points fingers within PTI in Arshad Sharif’s murder

    ‘Do khaas, teen saanp’: Vawda points fingers within PTI in Arshad Sharif’s murder

    Faisal Vawda, ex-member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has made the revelation that people within his former party could be involved in the murder of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

    On Samaa News’ programme “Nadeem Malik Live” which aired on Monday, Vawda said, “The assassination was planned in Pakistan by those who could benefit from it,” adding that the murder better suits “three snakes and two VIPs”.

    He said that the “three snakes” belong to the PTI, however, the other two VIPs are non-political and are trusted by Imran Khan. He claimed that he himself had warned Khan several times about them.

    About Arshad Sharif, who was killed on October 23 by two gunshot wounds, the former PTI member said, “He had no issue in coming back to Pakistan”.

    When asked if the establishment supported PTI in the 2018 elections, he said, “If anyone says that the establishment had no role in elections, it will be a lie.”

    He reiterated that the long march which his former party is carrying out right now, would be a bloody march and PTI is heading right toward it.

    On October 26, Vawda dismissed the version of the Kenyan police about Arshad being killed in a case of “mistaken identity”.

    Vawda had made claims that the party’s long march would “witness bloodshed, death, and funerals”. The same day, the PTI suspended Vawda and said that he 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”.

    Last week, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that Vawda’s membership stands terminated for failing to respond to the show-cause notice issued to him on October 26.