Disqualification sword hangs over Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: A bench of the Islamabad High Court will announce its verdict over a plea seeking disqualification of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif from public office today.

A larger bench of the high court had reserved its verdict over the petition filed by PTI member Usman Dar, seeking disqualification of the foreign minister for concealing the facts about holding an Iqama of United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The bench headed by Justice Athar Minallah and comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akther Kiyani was hearing the petition filed by Usman Dar, will announce its decision today as the notice has been issued to all concerned parties.

During the last proceeding, Khwaja Asif’s counsel had requested the bench to grant more time so that he could resubmit reply in the case.

Justice Aamer Farooq observed that the case had been pending for the last six months and the court could not delay the proceedings anymore.

Khawaja Asif had earlier submitted a letter of a UAE-based International Mechanical and Electrical company in the court stating that he had never served as full-time employee of the firm.

During the last hearing, the court inquired that how a person doing a full-time job could oversee a ministry in Pakistan. To this, Asif’s counsel said that his client was working for a Dubai-based bank before elections.

The verdict was reserved earlier this month on April 10. According to the cause list of Islamabad High Court, the verdict is due after 1:00 PM today.