Khawaja Asif's Iqama issue failure of Pakistan's democracy: Imran

Web Desk
April 11, 2018

PTI chief congratulates Islamabad High Court for holding daily hearings of party's petition against foreign minister's UAE work...

Khawaja Asif's Iqama issue failure of Pakistan's democracy: Imran
Khawaja Asif (left) and Imran Khan. Photo: File

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan lamented on Wednesday that it is a sad reflection on Pakistan's democracy when an elected official and high-profile minister is found to have been employed outside the country.

In a series of tweets related to Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif's reported Iqama [foreign work permit], Imran first congratulated the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for holding dailyhearings of the case.

The IHC, on Tuesday, had reserved its decision on PTI leader Usman Dar's petition seeking Asif's disqualification for hiding his employment in the nomination papers. Asif has denied the charge.

The PTI chief claimed it is a clear fact now that Asif, while being theminister of water and power, as well as defence and foreign affairs, was receiving Rs1.6million monthly salary from a UAE-based company.

Imran claimed that Asif's undisclosed bank accounts were also discovered from where he was allegedly transferring "huge amounts" to his wife's account in New York.

"So he was money laundering from Pakistan as well being guilty of a clear conflict of interest while holding charge of strategic ministries. Shocking how all relevant institutions like NAB, SECP, FBR, FIA, failed to move against him despite facts coming to light 8 mths ago," he wrote in a tweet.

The PTI chief added that Parliament, "which is supposed to protect the public's interests, also failed to act or even censure him".

"This has exposed the failure of Pak democracy. Nowhere in the Western world would such crimes be tolerated from a Parliamentarian. Even in India such financial wrongdoings and conflict of interest would not be tolerated. This is indeed a sad reflection on Pakistan's democracy," he concluded.


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