Opposition hails, Maryam admonishes Asif’s disqualification

By
Mian Abrar
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  • Imran says another ‘darbari’ of the ‘godfather’
  • Maryam calls Asif’s disqualification a fixed match

ISLAMABAD: Major political parties across the spectrum reacted to the disqualification of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), as the opposition declared the court verdict a ‘triumph of justice’ while the ruling party leader Maryam Nawaz termed the court decision as a ‘fixed match’.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan lauded the court decision and stated that another courtier of the ‘godfather’ has been disqualified on the same pattern as was the case with the godfather himself.

Soon after the decision, the PTI chief was the first to take to social media site Twitter, stating, “Another Darbari of the godfather disqualified on the same pattern – using Iqama to shield corruption and indulge in money laundering – as well as being guilty of brazen conflict of interest.”

“Allah Al Haq hai – Kh Asif targeted SKMTH (Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital) & has been publicly humiliated here & abroad,” he added.

Speaking to the media in the federal capital, senior Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader and Senate Opposition Leader Sherry Rehman demanded the resignation of Khwaja Asif as foreign minister. She recalled that former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was handed a similar verdict while her party was in power, yet the PPP had accepted the decision.

“Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is constantly putting our national image at stake,” she said, adding that no one, be it the prime minister or a minister, had the right to hold foreign work permits.

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, reacted strongly to denounce the court verdict against Khwaja Asif, calling it a predetermined decision and termed the verdict a “fixed match”.

“If you cannot compete with someone through votes, you get them disqualified through a fixed match,” Maryam tweeted shortly after the IHC’s verdict. “The nation will now even vote for Khawaja Asif’s shadow,” warned Maryam.

Speaking to media along with Usman Dar outside the court, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said that Khwaja Asif had opened a foreign account and transferred funds to it, adding that the minister used his foreign account as a tool for laundering money.

Fawad mocked at the PML-N bigwigs saying, “It’s great to know that along with Ali Baba, his 40 thieves are also being caught.”

He commended party leader Usman Dar for “effectively pursuing the case against Asif”. “Now Khawaja Asif will know what is ‘sharam’ and what is ‘haya’,” he remarked, referring to a repeatedly aired footage of Khawaja Asif’s speech made at the Parliament House soon after PTI MPs returned to the parliament after ending the 126-day sit-in in the federal capital.

“Any person who wants to become a member of the parliament must fully disclose their assets,” the PTI leader said, adding while Asif had disclosed his Iqama, the minister had failed to inform the National Assembly about his foreign employment status and the salary drawn from it thereof.

Fawad raised a question that there was not a single example in the world where a country’s foreign minister was employed in another country while serving his tenure as a minister.

“How will the citizens of a country react if one of their ministers is employed by a foreign country? It is a clear case of conflict of interests,” he remarked.

Chaudhry further said that Asif was free to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the IHC’s decision but the decision would reap him nothing but another embarrassment. “The PTI had accepted the apex court’s verdict on Jahangir Tareen’s disqualification case in the true spirit of rule of law,” he added.

On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to social media site Twitter and said, “We respect the court’s decision. I am sure that Khawaja Asif [sb] will get justice from the apex court. Khawaja [sb] is a valuable asset to the party and we stand with him in this difficult time.”

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