SC forms bench to hear Khawaja Asif’s disqualification appeal on Monday

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Elections likely to be held in early or middle of 2022: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will hear Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Khawaja Asif’s petition challenging his disqualification by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) upcoming Monday.

The apex court formed a three-member bench headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial today to hear the plea on May 7 at 1:30pm.

READ ALSO: IHC disqualifies Khawaja Asif over Iqama

Justices Faisal Arab and Sajjad Ali Shah are the other members of the bench.

Asif had challenged his disqualification verdict in the Supreme Court on earlier this week. Earlier reports had stated that Asif’s appeal will be heard today.

Asif has stated in his review petition that he unintentionally failed to disclose his foreign work permit in his nomination papers — the basis for the IHC decision against him.

He has pleaded the court to declare the IHC judgment null and void.

On April 27, Asif was disqualified by the IHC 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 court announced its verdict on a petition stating that Asif did not mention his foreign employment in his nomination papers.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Athar Minallah had announced the verdict and ruled that Asif is not ‘honest’ and ‘truthful’ as per the Constitution.

The three bench members unanimously ruled that Asif was not qualified to contest the 2013 general election from NA-110 as he did not fulfill the conditions described under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, read with Section 99(1)(f) of the Representation of People Act 1976.