Advisor to Chief Minister (CM) on Information and Archives Maula Bux Chandio has said that the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) reference against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government will bring Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government to its logical end and rid the nation of corruption and nepotism.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Maula Bux Chandio alleged that Premier Nawaz Sharif had deceived the nation since long by establishing off-shore companies in the name of their close relatives. Panama Leaks was a big proof against the record corruption and plundering of national exchequer, he added. Panamanian law firm and corporate service provider Mossack Fonseca, which revealed Panama Leaks, had linked Nawaz Sharif’s children, his brother Shahbaz Sharif’s in-laws to offshore companies, which a was clear treason with the country and the nation, he added.
The CM’s advisor said that Panama Leaks linked PM Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and her brothers Hussein and Hassan to four offshore companies – Nescoll Limited, Nielson Holdings Limited, Coomber Group Inc, and Hangon Property Holdings Limited. The companies acquired luxury real estate in London during 2006–2007. The real estate was collateral for loans of up to $13.8 million, according to the Panama Papers.
Chandio said Nawaz should resign immediately as he had failed to declare his assets. Keeping assets hidden is not only tax evasion but pilferage of national wealth, he added.
The advisor said considering the nation’s demand of taking action against plundering of national wealth, the PPP had filed a reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking the disqualification of Sharif as the country’s ruler. Chandio also referred to a report as saying: “Nawaz Sharif has also defaulted on Rs 6 billion loan when he filed his nomination papers with the ECP in 2013.” The PML-N PM also showed wrong asset details of his wife and children and misled the ECP about his income tax returns besides involving in money-laundering. “After such revelation, Nawaz has no right to rule the country anymore.”
He informed that the PPP had submitted a 1,000-page reference against the prime minister, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar for hiding their assets from the nation.
Chandio said the reference requested the commission to take action against the prime minister in accordance with Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution. The decision to file the reference was taken in the PPP meeting chaired by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari last week, he further informed.
“The PPP has always been struggling to save democracy and lead the nation towards prosperity by following policy of reconciliation. The PPP has fought with all tyrant forces which cheated the nation in shape of corruption and other tactics. It is the PPP which ensured enormous powers to the all provinces of the country, but the PML-N is interfering in the Sindh government’s affairs which is violation of the constitution and the rule of law,” Chandio said.
“The anti-democratic forces backed by the PML-government are once again out to harm the PPP’s Sindh government, but its leadership is wise enough and will continue its struggle to foster democracy, save national exchequer and serve drown-trodden people as per the lessons given by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto,” the advisor concluded.
