Pakistan Supreme Court Overturns Khawaja Asif’s Lifetime Disqualification

TIL Desk/World/Islamabad/ Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday overturned an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order disqualifying PML-N leader and former Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif from holding public office for life. A three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial announced the verdict in the appeal filed by Mr Asif following his disqualification on a petition by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Usman Dar.

Mr Asif’s senior counsel, Munir A. Malik, confirmed the development. “Khawaja Asif can contest the upcoming election,” he said. A three-member special bench on April 26 ruled that Mr Asif was proven dishonest under the country’s Constitution because he did not mention his foreign employment in his nomination papers or disclosed his assets and sources of income. It also stated that he was not even qualified to contest the 2013 general elections.

However, Mr Malik had argued that his client had revealed all the details required in his nomination papers. “The sword of disqualification should not be looming over parliamentarians’ heads in this way,” he said. Mr Malik said that if his client’s income was greater than his declared sources of income, the Election Commission could look into the matter. The Supreme Court has yet to issue a detailed order in the case.