SAPM on Power Tabish Gauhar holds a UAE Iqama: official documents

• SAPM on Power Tabish Gauhar has been an iqama holder since 1999
• The prime minister appointed Tabish Gohar as the SAPM on Power on October 1, 2020 in an honourary capacity
• Gohar is the first member of PM Imran's cabinet to have a permanent residence permit in the UAE

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Power, Tabish Gauhar, holds a UAE permanent residency Iqama, according to official documents seen by Geo News. 

Read more: PM Imran Khan refuses resignation of SAPM on Power Tabish Gauhar

According to the documents, Gauhar has been holding a permanent residency Iqama for Dubai since 1999. He was appointed in an honourary capacity as the special assistant to the prime minister on Power on October 1, 2020. 

Gauhar has not publicly announced that he is an iqama holder though he disclosed it to the Cabinet Division on February 12 this year, in writing. 

He is the first member of PM Imran's cabinet to have a permanent residency permit in the UAE. The total number of members currently in the federal cabinet who hold permanent residency in other countries, namely the United States, Canada, UAE, and UK, are six.  

Read more: Opposition flays PTI-led govt after dual nationalities of PM's aides revealed

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari is a British citizen while two other special assistants who resigned recently, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Shahzada Qasim, are permanent residents of Canada and the US respectively. 

In PM Imran Khan's current cabinet, special assistant Dr Shahbaz Gill, SAPM for National Security Moeed Yousaf, special assistant Rauf Hassan and SAPM on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar are US green card holders.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a court is currently hearing the case of a federal minister and a member of the prime minister's cabinet on alleged concealment of dual nationality. 

The Prime Minister's 49-member cabinet includes 28 federal ministers, three ministers of state, four advisers, and 14 special assistants.

Supreme Court upholds IHC's verdict on appointing dual nationals as special assistants

Last year, the Supreme Court had upheld a verdict by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which had ruled that dual citizens can be appointed as special assistants to the prime minister. 

In the case pertaining to dual citizenship of the special assistants to the prime minister, the IHC had remarked in a written judgement that the premier was accountable to the people and could not run the state affairs alone.

"The Federal Government has made the Rules of 1973 and has described the 'Organization of Divisions' in rule 4 ibid. Sub rule 6 of rule 4 enables the Prime Minister to appoint Special Assistant or Special Assistants and to determine their status and functions," IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had written.

"The Rules of 1973, particularly rule 4(6) are not in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution. Special Assistants are not members of the Federal Cabinet. Moreover, they are distinct from Advisors appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister under Article 93(1) of the Constitution.

"The Prime Minister is the chief executive of one of the most important organs of the State and has to perform multiple/complex functions. A person elected as Prime Minister is answerable to the people of Pakistan and the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament). The onerous role of the Prime Minister described under the Constitution cannot be performed by the latter alone," he had added.

The IHC judge had also said that neither the special assistants to the prime minister nor their patriotism could be doubted based on the fact that they held dual citizenship and, thus, could not be disqualified either.

PM Imran Khan refuses resignation of SAPM on Power Tabish Gauhar

The development comes after Gauher tendered his resignation to PM Imran Khan last month. The prime minister, however, rejected his resignation and told Gauhar to carry on his duties. 

Gauhar had resigned via WhatsApp after being appointed in an honourary capacity a few months earlier. It had been reported that one of the reasons for Gauhar's resignation was his tough position on the government's negotiations with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

In the meeting, the prime minister had refused to accept his resignation, assuring Gauhar of his full support against the power sector's unscrupulous elements, according to a report in The News. 

The premier had extended his all-out support to Gauhar to revamp the power sector through reforms.

Gauhar had told The News he resigned last week due to personal reasons.