Khawaja Asif disqualified no more, rules top court

Former foreign minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif. Photo: AFP

Former foreign minister Khawaja Asif can contest elections and his disqualification for life under Article 62(f) is invalid, ruled the Supreme Court on Friday.

The court had reserved its verdict on Mr Asif’s appeal against his disqualification. Justice Umar Atta Bandial headed the special bench and read the short order at 11am. Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah are the other two members.

Mr Asif thanked the judiciary in a tweet.

اللہ نے مجھ عاجز اور گناہ گار پر رحم اور کرم کیا ھے ۔۔ رب العزت کا احسا ن اور مھر بانیوں کا شمار ھی نھیں ۔۔ میں عدلیہ کا شکریہ ادا کرتا ھوں ۔۔ الحمداللہ

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) June 1, 2018

The Islamabad High Court had disqualified for life the former foreign minister from holding public office for not disclosing his employment in a UAE-based company and his monthly salary. On April 27, the PML-N leader filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against the decision.

“We will review the detailed judgment and then decide if we will file a review appeal,” said Usman Dar, the PTI leader who approached the court for Mr Asif’s disqualification. He said he will defeat Mr Asif in the upcoming election on July 25.

Maryam Nawaz congratulated the former minister on the verdict.

بہت بہت مبارک۔ ظلم و ناانصافی کو ایک دن مٹنا ہی ہوتا ہے۔ https://t.co/809ItEMyrN

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) June 1, 2018

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said she thanks Allah for the verdict.

حق اور سچ کی بلاخر فتح ہوتی ہے! پی ٹی آئی جو کام ووٹ کی طاقت سے خود نہیں کر سکتی وہ چاہتی ہے کہ عدالتیں اس کے لئے وہ کام کردیں۔ ایسا نہیں ہو سکتا۔ https://t.co/hk5K5gY0JD

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) June 1, 2018

Analysis

According to analyst Adnan Asil, the verdict will boost the morale of PML-N in the upcoming general election. He said that PTI will now have to challenge them in the “court of the people”.

“It’s not necessary that people would agree with every court decision,” said SAMAA TV’s Islamabad bureau chief Khalid Azeem Chaudhry. “People have their own opinions and it’s their opinion that matters. If the people won’t vote for a candidate, it doesn’t matter how much legal backing the candidate enjoys.”

According to Agenda 360 host Haider Waheed, it is unlikely that the appeal verdict would be changed even if PTI chooses to challenge it.

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