Khawaja Asif case: Iqama, hefty salary can’t be given sans reason, says SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) observed on Monday that Iqama and hefty salary could not be granted without any reason.

A three-member SC bench headed by Justice Umer Ata Bandial was hearing the appeal filed by former foreign and defence minister Khawaja Asif, against the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) verdict that disqualified the PML-N leader on April 27 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 SC bench questioned if Khawaja Asif had used his authority to get a raise in his salary.

Justice Bandial inquired if the minister's salary raise — from AED9,000 to AED30,000 and then AED50,000 — was based on his performance. Asif's lawyer Munir Malik responded that it was a result of good suggestions that his client had presented.

During the hearing, Justice Bandial remarked that Asif could be made a federal minister if the verdict on his disqualification was overturned.

Asif's legal counsel adopted the stance that he had submitted written responses. The accusation of hiding Asif's Dubai bank account was not part of the petition and was leveled against his client later, Malik told the court.

He further said his client was not accused of corruption. Justice Faisal Arab, part of the three-member bench, observed that Asif had shown in his nomination papers that he did not receive any salary.

The petitioner’s lawyer responded that his client’s salary was part of the foreign earnings he had disclosed. The hearing was adjourned till May 31.