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'No constitutional bar on public office holder seeking jobs abroad': Former Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: May 20, 2018, 10:27 AM IST
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Khawaja Muhammad Asif Photograph:(Zee News Network)

Former Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif, who has been disqualified by the Islamabad High Court for holding Iqma (work permit), challenged the disqualification in the Pakistan Supreme Court on Saturday.

Stating his arguments in the court he said: "there was no constitutional bar or restrictions on public office holders seeking jobs abroad".

He added that he had given all details regarding his earnings in the nomination form filled by him and the papers did not require a special mention of 'salary'.

He further added that the amount just accounted to 0.5 per cent of his asset, and hiding such minuscule amount was absurd. 

He also claimed that he had voluntarily disclosed his salary in 2011.

He said he was getting a salary worth 9,000 UAE dirhams under foreign salary income which he claims to be disclosed under the category of foreign remittance given in the nomination form.

The Islamabad High Court on April 26 disqualified Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for holding an Iqama (work permit) of the United Arab Emirates.

In response to this, he challenged the Islamabad High Court's verdict in the Supreme Court of Pakistan in May.

The High Court announced its verdict on a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  leader Usman Dar stating that Asif did not mention his foreign employment in his nomination papers. 

(With inputs from ANI)