A reference has been dispatched to Speaker National Assembly on Thursday, seeking disqualification of three Federal Ministers for concealing their foreign work permits (Iqama) in the nomination papers to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The reference has been sent by Judicial Activism Panel, a group of lawyers, which seeks disqualification of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal. It emphasised that the three ministers after concealing their income sources and foreign work permits are no more eligible to hold public offices.
Declaring it a breach of law, the reference asserted that the ministers could face up to three-year prison term under Representation of People Act, 1976. It seeks the disqualification of all three federal ministers under the constitution of country.
It merits to be mentioned here that Panama Papers probing team, in its final report, revealed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's employment with an Emirate-based firm as chairman. Soon after the JIT's startling revelation, the work permits of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Asif Khawaja, and Federal Minister for Development and Planning Ahsan Iqbal have also surfaced on social media, showing their employment with different companies in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.