IHC to form larger bench to hear petition against Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court Justice Aamer Farooq forwarded on Monday a request to the court's chief justice to form a larger bench to hear a petition against Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for possessing an Iqama (foreign work permit).

Earlier, the judge had reserved his decision on the maintainability of the petition. 

Hearing the petition, filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Usman Dar, against the foreign minister, Justice Farooq had observed that the matter will likely be forwarded to a larger bench for hearing. 

He also directed the petitioner to submit documents related to the court’s jurisdiction in the case.

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The petitioner seeks quo warranto (power of the high court to inquire about the legal position of any public servant on the complaint of any citizen) proceedings against Asif. 

In July this year, Asif had owned his Iqama after the matter was disclosed by Dar, who claimed Asif hid his contract from the Election Commission of Pakistan and Federal Board of Revenue. 

Responding to the allegations, Asif had said the salary he received through the Iqama was declared with the authorities for the last 27 years.

“I receive the funds from proper banking channels from 1983,” he said, adding that he operates a bank account in Abu Dhabi since 1983. 

Dar had lost the 2013 General Elections to Asif in the NA-110 constituency of Sialkot. 

Then prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court on July 28 for holding an Iqama and not declaring it to the relevant authorities.