ECP de-notifies Asif as member of National Assembly
April 26, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday evening de-notified Asif as a Member National Assembly (MNA) from NA-110 Sialkot-I with immediate effect.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif was disqualified by the Islamabad High Court earlier today under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution for failing to disclose his employment in a UAE company and the monthly salary he was receiving. The court had earlier reserved its verdict on the petition on April 10.
A notification issued by the electoral body, a copy of which is available with Geo.tv, reads: "Consequent upon disqualification of Khawaja Muhammad Asif from being a Member of Majilis-e-Shoora (Parliament) by the Hon'ble Islamabad High Court, vide judgment dated 26th April, 2018 passed in Writ Petition No. 2907 of 2017 titled "Muhammad Usman Dar Vs. Khawaja Mohammad Asif in terms of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, read with section 99(1)(f) of the Act of 1976."
"The Election Commission of Pakistan hereby de-notifies Khawaja Muhammad Asif as Member National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency No. NA-110 Sialkot-I with immediate effect and in consequence thereof the notification No.F.2(40)/2013-Cord dated the 22nd May, 2013 to the extent of declaring him as returned candidate from National Assembly Constituency No.NA-110 Sialkot-I stands rescinded with effect from 26th April, 2018."
'Will quit politics if full disclosure claim contested'
Speaking on Geo News’ programme Capital Talk, Asif said that while the verdict was a setback, he was confident that in the upcoming elections, if his disqualification verdict stays, one of Nawaz’s soldiers would be victorious from Sialkot.
He further added that his foreign remittances and foreign work permit were accounted for when he was arrested during Pervez Musharraf’s tenure. The former minister said his employment contract was submitted to the relevant department.
“I pay tax even on my foreign income,” he said, adding that his bank account in Abu Dhabi and his wife’s in New York were both declared. Income tax department records will bear witness to my statements,” he said.
“I am facing this setback, aware full well that God has blessed me endlessly,” he said. “If not me, someone else will win from Sialkot.”
Responding to money laundering accusations against him, Asif said he had remitted money to his wife while she had traveled to New York to visit their daughter and son-in-law.
“Whatever the allegations may be, I sent the money to my wife and there is a record of that money a copy of which is attached to my nomination papers, income tax, and even wealth statement,” he said.
The PML-N leader further said that he would not hesitate to end his political career if anyone could challenge him on concealing anything.
“I won’t even contest the verdict [of the IHC] if someone is able to contest my claim that I have not concealed anything in my nomination papers,” the politician said, adding that politicians say many things about one another but not everything is correct or true.
Judgement
According to judgement it was “obvious from the facts and circumstances in the instant case that the Respondent (Khawaja Asif) had deliberately and willfully not disclosed his status as an employee of the Company, nor receiving of the salary per month pursuant thereto, despite having been expressly put to challenge by other contesting candidates.”
"The validity of 'Iqama', working as an employee of the Company and receiving a substantial salary without being physically present, which is AED 50,000/- per month under the Third Contract executed in July 2017, were some benefits gained from non-disclosure. Disclosure would have led to giving up the 'Iqama' and the hefty salary paid by the Company for some advice sought telephonically by a foreign-based employer from the prospective Defense and then Foreign Minister of Pakistan. We have deeply pondered but could not persuade ourselves that this deliberate and willful non-disclosure was a bonafide or honest omission."
"The lack of honesty was established by not disclosing the employment as an occupation and the salary received per month despite the vague and obscure amount declared as foreign remittances having been specifically challenged. This would also apply to the non-disclosure of the account maintained with the Bank of Abu Dhabi. Nothing has been placed on record to show that a request had been made for closing the account before submitting the nomination paper."
