According to the Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdaus Ashiq Awan, the government has decided to take due action against former federal minister of PML-N, Khwaja Asif for holding Iqama (work permit) during his reign and posing threats to national security.
Speaking to the press conference, she said that, “A person who served in the capacities of a defense minister, a foreign minister, and a water and power minister was found to have drawn a salary from a foreign company. This is a big threat to Pakistan’s security. Khwaja Asif’s act of receiving salary from a foreign company is a serious security breach, and the federal cabinet has already directed the Ministry of Interior to comprehensively investigate the matter,” She further added that, “how one tasked with safeguarding the country’s national security, the defense minister, was working for another country and presenting a security risk to Pakistan”.
She questioned the integrity of Asif and said that all the agreements and memorandums processed under his ministry would be reevaluated and the government would further investigate the matter with regard to the interested parties related to the company which gave Asif the Iqama.
Khawaja Asif is a senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML – N), who has been into politics since 1991. During his last reign, he served as a federal minister for defense which is one of the most important ministries. Despite the standard restrictions imposed on the public office holders. Asif held Iqama while being the defense minister which raises many questions on the national security.
