Khawaja Asif to challenge disqualification verdict in SC

ISLAMABAD: Khawaja Asif has announced that he will challenge the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict which disqualified him in the Supreme Court.

The IHC ruled that Asif was disqualified from Parliament for failing to disclose his employment in a UAE company and the monthly salary he was receiving.

IHC ruled that Khawaja Asif was not qualified to contest the 2013 general election from NA 110 as he did not fulfil the conditions described under Article 62(1)(f) of the constitution, read with section 99(1)(f) of the Act of 1976.

Under the verdict, Asif will be unable to hold public or party office.

Speaking to Geo News’ anchor Hamid Mir, Asif claimed that all his assets had been declared ever since he joined politics.

“The Iqama was declared to the Election Commission of Pakistan,” asserted a confident Asif.

Speaking in Geo News' show Capital Talk, the former foreign minister said that if the court maintains his disqualification then any other 'soldier' of Nawaz Sharif will contest and win the seat for the party. 

"My entire businesses were probed when I was arrested in Musharraf's time," he claimed. "I give taxes on my global income. I have disclosed my wife's bank account in New York. I expect justice from courts."

The PML-N leader said that he has the complete record of the money transactions sent to the foreign account of his wife.

"I will voluntarily disown my assets if anyone can prove I have hid them from the records," he claimed. 

Responding to a question about declaring his employment details as per the requirements of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, Asif said his case was based on a ‘technical matter’ and was hopeful that he would be given relief by the apex court.

A petition to disqualify Khawaja Asif had been filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar who lost the 2013 general election to Asif in the NA-110 constituency.

As per the petitioner, Asif is not entitled to hold the office of MNA nor of the federal minister under the Unlimited Term Employment Contract between him and International Mechanical and Electrical Co (IMECO), a company located in Abu Dhabi.

Asif has been hired as a full-time employee of IMECO since at least July 2, 2011 and has held various positions, including those of the legal adviser and special adviser, the petition states.

The contract signed between the foreign minister of Pakistan and the company claim that Asif was to receive a monthly basic salary of AED35,000 along with a monthly allowance of AED15,000.

He is receiving the same while serving as the foreign minister at the same time, it is alleged.