More Trouble For Nawaz’s Party As Pakistani Court Disqualifies Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif From Parliament

Dealing a blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), a court today (26 April) disqualified federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Khawaja Muhammed Asif from Parliament, reports Channel News Asia. The disqualification is a setback to the ruling party as Pakistan gears up for polls in a few months.

Asif is known to be close to former prime minister Nawaz Shariff who was disqualified last July for his involvement in the Panama Papers and was also touted to be Shariff’s successor. The party has complained that the judiciary is selectively targeting it ahead of the general elections.

Asif’s disqualification comes in after his rival Usman Dar filed a petition to have him removed for possessing a work permit in the United Arab Emirates. Dar was quoted by the media, saying there was no place left for Asif in Pakistani politics.

Dar had contested against Asif in the 2013 elections from Sialkot but lost the elections by a significant margin.