A number of politicians endorsed the statement of Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday that there is a need to ensure across-the-board accountability in the country.
The leaders who gave reaction statements after the army chief’s speech included Imran Khan, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Khawaja Asif and Talal Chaudhry.
‘LET’S NOT SLIP ON THAT SLOPE’:
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah stated that the PPP does not want to harm the democratic system in the country.
Khursheed Shah said that the suggestion of making Raza Rabbani the head of Parliamentary Committee, to probe the Panama Leaks, was his own opinion.
He added that Rabbani had taken him into confidence before refusing to head the committee.
The opposition leader said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s children Hassan and Hussain Nawaz had complicated matters when they confessed to having offshore wealth.
Shah said that he is praying for the good health of PM Sharif.
‘LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE, MR PM, IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT’:
Responding to Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif’s statement regarding corruption, Aitzaz said had the prime minister not delayed the matter of constituting the inquiry commission, the army chief would not have given such statements.
Aitzaz Ahsan urged the prime minister to declare all of his assets to defuse the crisis sparked by Panama Papers.
“If the prime minister declares his and his family’s assets, there will be no need to form an inquiry commission,” Aitzaz said while talking to media along with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah and ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour.
“What’s the harm in declaring the assets, if they were acquired in a transparent manner,” he added.
The opposition leader in the Senate further said that the inquiry into Panama Papers should begin from the prime minister’s family.
He said that there is a need to take assistance of international forensic experts to investigate the revelations.
On the occasion, ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour demanded the government to form a chief justice-led commission for Panama Papers investigation.
KAIRA ‘PERSONALLY’ LIKES THE STATEMENT:
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said that he appreciated the army chief’s statement in his personal capacity.
“There is a need to adopt a national approach against corruption,” he said.
“I welcome the army chief’s remarks in my personal capacity,” Kaira said while responding to General Sharif’s statement.
‘PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, CHIEF’:
Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif welcomed the army chief’s remarks about corruption and accountability saying that the government fully supports General Raheel Sharif’s statement.
“Nobody has reservations when the chief justice speaks. Similarly, nobody should have objections when army chief speaks since he too is head of an institution,” the minister said while responding to a question.
He said the army is playing its role in improving national security and all the institutions are working within their ambit. Asif said while the level of corruption has dropped since the PML-N came into office, it still continues to exist in the country.
‘ALL PART OF THE PLAN’:
PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry said that Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif’s statement regarding corruption is “part of the government polices”.
Talking to a private TV channel, Talal said the government policy over both law and order or corruption is very clear, adding that all the policies had been made by taking all state institutions on board.
To a query, he said the PML-N would never accept to run a powerless government.