ISLAMABAD: Will Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif be disqualified today?
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will announce verdict in Foreign MinisterKhawaja Asif’s disqualification case today. On April 10, an IHC largerbench had reserved its judgment in a matter where a PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar sought disqualification of thefederal minister on the basis of an Abu Dhabi Iqama.
Justice Athar Minallah headed the three-member bench comprising JusticeAamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Usman Dar filed this petition seekingdisqualification of Asif for concealing the facts that he was an Iqamaholder, legal advisor of a company in UAE and his recent labour card wasissued on June 29, 2017. Khawaja Asif on the other hand took a view that heconcealed nothing and his Iqama was declared in the nomination paper.
The petitioner adopted that Supreme Court on July 28 disqualified formerPrime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif for possessing an ‘Iqama’ and Khawaja Asifcan also be disqualified on similar grounds.
The bench had reserved the verdict, however, it allowed the parties tosubmit additional documents if they have. Khawaja Asif on April 16submitted a letter of an Abu Dhabi company where he is employed.
As per the letter, Khawaja Asif’s job with International Mechanical &Electrical Co. WLL. is quite flexible and there are no conditions on him tostay there in Abu Dhabi. The company can seek his legal advice viatelephone or whenever he comes to UAE. Managing Director of the company,Elias Salloum, has expressed that he is ready to come before any court inPakistan.