Sharif or not is the question

• ECP asks PM Nawaz, Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, Ishaq Dar and Captain Safdar to submit replies on references seeking their disqualification by Sept 6
• PPP’s Latif Khosa says Hussain Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz were minors when offshore companies were formed
• Aitzaz says Opp has given their final proposals on Panama probe TORs to govt, as MQM distances itself from parliamentary committee

Pressure on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appeared to ramp up after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday directed him along with Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, Ishaq Dar and Captain Safdar to issue a response by September 6, to allegations made by members of the opposition in disqualification references filed against the PM and his family.

The opposition parties, on the other hand, adopted a defiant tone – even while agreeing to meeting National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the Panama Leaks probe – as it handed over its ‘final proposals’ for the TORs to the government, while vowing not to budge from their demand of accountability of the premier.

On Wednesday, a full bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (r) Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan heard five identical petitions filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Awami Muslim League (AML), Pakistan Awami Tehreek and an individual petitioner, Prof Waheed Kamal.

Four of the petitions target only the prime minister, while the one filed by PPP Secretary General Latif Khosa seeks the disqualification of PM Sharif and other members of his family, including Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hamza Shehbaz, prime minister’s son-in-law Captain (r) Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is the father-in-law of the prime minister’s daughter.

Latif Khosa, as prosecutor, said that when the offshore companies were formed, Hussain Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz were minors. Khosa also said that the prime minister had lied when he claimed that he had sold his steel mill in Saudi Arabia to purchase the flats in London.

He further said that the prime minister had also not disclosed the offshore companies in his nomination papers. Khosa said that the PM was the real owner of the offshore companies hence he had given a false statement.

Latif Khosa also said that the flats in Park Lane were bought in 1993 and 1995. Hence, the statement that the steel mill was sold in Saudi Arabia and then the flats in London were bought was false.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) have all filed disqualification references against PM Nawaz for the disclosures contained in the Panama Papers.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT, SAY AITZAZ, QURESHI:

Leader of Opposition in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said on Wednesday that the joint opposition has given its proposals on the TORs to the National Assembly speaker for enquiry into the Panama Leaks and made it clear that these proposals were final and the opposition would not show any more flexibility.

Talking to media personnel at the Parliament House after the meeting of the opposition leaders with the speaker and an internal meeting of the opposition, Aitzaz Ahsan said that the opposition had shown flexibility and accepted 75% of TORs of the government but the government side had shown zero flexibility as it did not consider any proposal of the opposition.

He said that even though the prime minister in his address to the nation and later in a speech in the National Assembly had offered himself for accountability but the government committee was not willing to let the enquiry take place against the prime minister and his family for their involvement in offshore companies.

He said the opposition was in agreement that an Act of Parliament should be approved for enquiry into Panama Papers but the government’s draft of the bill was useless. He said they favour across-the-board accountability but this should begin from the prime minister and his family.

He said the speaker had given a message to the opposition to hold talks on the TORs and that the government wants to convene another meeting. The opposition leaders had met Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in his chamber under the leadership of Syed Khursheed Shah.

Aitzaz said the speaker will convey the opposition’s point of view to the government and if there is any flexibility, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will inform the opposition after which a decision will be taken.

He said the government wanted to divide the opposition but they were still united in their demand for enquiry into the Panama Leaks.

Aitzaz Ahsan clarified that the final decision about re-joining the talks would be taken only after consultation with key opposition players.

He stressed that the joint opposition including the PPP and PTI have already shown enough maturity beyond what was required on the issue and it was the government’s turn to show flexibility.

The meeting of the opposition leaders met with Senator Aitzaz Ahsan in the chair. The meeting was attended by Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Mian Atiq Sheikh, Barrister Saif, Senator Ilyas Bilour, Israrullah Zehri, Syed Naveed Qamar while Khursheed Shah also attended the meeting.

PTI’s parliamentary leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the opposition was united on the TOR for the enquiry. He said the government, since day 1, had been trying to create divisions among the opposition.

He said after the government ministers failed to divide the opposition, they enlisted the help of the National Assembly speaker for talks on TORs.

He further said that the protest of the PTI is not a solo flight as it has support of the opposition parties.

KHURSHEED SHAH RECEIVES AN EARFUL FROM SHEIKH RASHID:

There was an unpleasant moment during the opposition parties’ meeting when a heated argument broke out between Opposition Leader in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid over the former’s support of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

A well placed source told Pakistan Today that Sheikh Rashid Ahmed opposed the proposal floated by Khursheed Shah to go and submit the opposition’s proposals to Ayaz Sadiq.

“Sheikh Rashid’s insistence not to go to Ayaz Sadiq prompted Shah who asked why Sheikh Rashid was opposing while he was ready to support Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan,” the source said.

“Rashid hit back and blamed Shah for supporting the prime minister all the time. He responded that he would only support Nisar if he comes out openly against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Otherwise, Rashid said he would never support Nisar, so long as he remains in the PML-N fold,” the source added.

The source said that no other member from any opposition party interrupted the argument between the two.

“Finally, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan urged both not to damage unity among the opposition ranks and rather express unity and fight the Panamagate,” the source said.

MQM DISTANCES FROM OPP, GOES BACK TO BASICS:

The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), meanwhile, has decided to distance itself from the alliance of the opposition parties on the Panama Leaks issue.

The announcement was made during an emergency meeting presided over by Senior Deputy Convener of MQM Amir Khan. The meeting was held at MQM’s headquarters at Nine-Zero to discuss various ongoing issues, especially ‘illegal raids’ and arrests of party workers and government and oppositions’ reactions over the violation of the rights of Urdu-speaking community.

The meeting reviewed all the issues thoroughly and reached the conclusion that the government and the opposition were giving no heed to Muhajirs’ issues and sufferings. It was said that the raids and arrests became a routine phenomenon of the Rangers, police and law enforcement agencies, while the political, financial, educational and physical killings were also continuing.