Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has disqualified from parliament by Islamabad High Court (IHC) in Iqama holding case.

Khawaja Asif disqualified for life under the article 62(1) (f) of the constitution and according to this Asif will be unable to hold any public and party office.

IHC stated in its verdict that Asif was not even qualified to contest polls in 2013. The Islamabad Court registrar was also directed to send a copy of the judgement to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the speaker of the national assembly to denotify Khawaja Asif as foreign minister and a member of parliament.

A three-member bench of the Islamabad High Court announces its reserved verdict in a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Usman Dar seeking disqualification of Federal Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for concealing his Iqama.

Justice Ather Minullah, who was heading the three-member bench, read the verdict which they reserved on April 10 after hearing arguments of both the sides.

Responding to the IHC verdict regarding his disqualification Khawaja Asif stated: "I will challenge this verdict in the Supreme Court".

While talking to media on the IHC verdict  Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar said: " I salute the judiciary for disqualifying Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif".

Earlier, in this matter, Justice Miagul Hassan had recused himself from hearing of the case on March 8. As a result, the three-member bench had dissolved and the petition was sent to Chief Justice of IHC Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan for the constitution of a new bench. Then IHC Chief Justice constituted a new larger bench headed by Justice Athar Minallah.

In the petition, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar has sought disqualification of the federal minister for foreign affairs on the grounds that Khawaja Asif had concealed the facts that he was an Iqama holder, legal advisor of a company in UAE and his recent labour card was issued on June 29, 2017.