ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has denied holding any Iqama (work permit) of any Country except Pakistan.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Spokesman of the Finance Minister categorically said that Senator Ishaq Dar does not hold Iqama/Residence Permit/Nationality of any Country in the World except Pakistan.
The Spokesman clarified that Ishaq Dar was professionally engaged as the financial adviser in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from year 2002 to year 2008, and the same was properly disclosed in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)/Tax Returns for the said period.
Ishaq Dar did have official “Iqama” for performing his aforesaid professional advisory services.
However, Ishaq Dar resigned from this position before joining the Federal Cabinet on March 31, 2008 and subsequently the Iqama lapsed/expired, the Spokesman added.
Ishaq Dar is among four leaders of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) along with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and the Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal who allegedly hold (or held in the Past) Iqama, another major controversy surfaced following the Panama Leaks.
The prime minister and the planning and development minister have already admitted to have holding foreign work permits (Iqama) as the former was a Marketing Manager in UAE’s FZE Company while the latter held a Iqama from a Madina-based firm.
For anyone who is blessed 2 live & work in Madinah it is a natural desire to keep Madinah resident status for as long as 1 can. No regrets
— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) July 25, 2017
