Usman Dar claims Asif ‘hid’ UAE employment

• Minister says he already declares everything with ECP, FBR

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar has claimed that Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif is also an employee of a Dubai-based company.

Dar, who lost the general elections of 2013 to Asif in the NA-110 constituency, claimed that the federal minister did not declare his contract and employment with the company in the nomination papers he filed with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Dar also posted on Twitter Asif’s passport copy showing the contract. Responding to the allegations, Asif said that the salary he received through the contract has been declared with the ECP and the Federal Bureau of Revenue for the last 27 years.

“I received the funds from proper banking channels from 1983,” he said, adding that he operates a bank account in Abu Dhabi since 1983. Dar said that he would contact the Supreme Court to seek disqualification of Khawaja Asif. Asif said leveling false charges should be avoided.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Senator Sherry Rehman said that the Election Commission should take immediate notice of Khawaja Asif’s foreign contract. She said that the defence minister has taken false oath of his loyalty to Pakistan and its constitution that is too much wrong thing.

She demanded that ECP should take immediate notice of the matter and inform the nation if Khawaja Asif has made mention of his contract in the nomination papers or otherwise. “If not then it will be a major blow to PML-N as he is key pillar of his party,” she added.

Awami Muslim League (AML) leader MNA Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad claimed that contract (Iqama) of four more ministers of ruling party would come to open within two to four days. He said that at first Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proved to be chairman of the FZE Dubai Company as per the JIT report and now Khawaja Asif contract has come before the nation.

He said that the Iqama and offshore bank accounts of all candidates of the PML-N were coming to light and they have taken the oath of false loyalties to the nation and the country here. He said that the PML-N leaders have been exposed before the nation.