Ahsan Iqbal confirms holding iqama

ISLAMABAD: After pictures of his Saudi Arab iqama circulated on social media, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has confirmed holding the kingdom’s work/ residence permit for two years, a private TV channel reported Wednesday.

“I worked in Madinah Monawarah 2004-06 afterwards retained iqama without receiving any compensation for frequent travel hence no illegal act,” the minister said on Twitter.

He claimed that he hadn’t concealed his iqama, saying that “It is declared.”

“For anyone who is blessed 2 live & work in Madinah it is a natural desire to keep Madinah resident status for as long as 1 can. No regrets,” he said in another tweet.

“Some1 who chose 2 serve his country immediately after MBA from The Wharton School, passport 2 Fortune 100, doesn’t have to prove anything,” said the PML-N’s senior leader.

His iqama surfaced a day after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s UAE iqama come to the fore.

The same permits of PM Nawaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Home Minster Sohail Anwar Siyal and former Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon have also surfaced on social media, showing their employment with companies in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.