ISLAMABAD: A single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, on Monday forwarded a request to the chief justice (CJ) to form a larger bench to hear a petition against Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for possessing an Iqama (foreign work permit), which he did not disclose in his assets declaration.
The bench, earlier, had reserved its verdict on the maintainability of the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Usman Dar, against the foreign minister, being an iqama holder, while observing that the matter could be referred to the CJ for a larger bench.
The court also directed the petitioner to submit written arguments pertaining to the court’s jurisdiction to the matter.
On July 25, Dar claimed that Asif did not declare the income he earned from iqama in wealth statements which were submitted before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in 2013 and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
In July, Asif had owned his Iqama after the matter was disclosed by Dar. To the allegations, Asif said the salary he received through the Iqama was declared with the authorities for the last 27 years.
Published in Daily Times, September 19th 2017.
