The federal government and opposition parties looked set for more posturing on Tuesday as no consensus was in sight over the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the commission to probe the Panama Leaks after the government out rightly rejected the opposition parties’ demands to change the TORs.
There was very little hope that the opposition parties would acquiesce to the TORs drafted unilaterally by the federal government. Both sides appear to understand that a favourable outcome depends on building and putting up with pressure from the opposite side before the gloss on the Panama Leaks issue wears out.
A source privy to the consultation process between the opposition parties told Pakistan Today that the major opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have converged on four-point demands while the consultation process continues.
“While the opposition parties are still set to meet on May 2 to discuss the draft TORs, there is a convergence on four demands till date,” a source privy to the negotiations told Pakistan Today.
THE DEMANDS:
Here are the opposition demands, which according to the source, have been agreed by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah, PTI senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi and JI chief Sirajul Haq.
- The opposition alliance rejects the authorities granted to the investigation commission in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act of 1956.
- The opposition parties have demanded the formation of a commission under new laws formed in consultation with the opposition for which a presidential ordinance may be promulgated.
- The opposition demands approval of a consensus law for the commission. The opposition parties will unanimously support the new law and pass it from both houses of the parliament.
- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his immediate family members implicated in the Panama Leaks should be probed ahead of the 250 other individuals named in the Panama Papers.
The source said that PPP’s Khursheed Shah contacted Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Sirajul Haq to discuss the four demands on Tuesday and has received their support for the demands.
“Other parties are also being consulted,” the source added.
A NEW LAW:
The opposition parties appear to have reached the realisation that the current legal framework does not allow for a high-powered and consequential commission to probe the Panama Leaks.
The source in the opposition parties told Pakistan Today that the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956 has very limited powers and the act can’t ensure a powerful commission.
“Under the act, the chief justice has no powers and his status is of a mere member. We want meaningful powers for the chief justice. Moreover, the status of the commission under this act is of a mere civil judge. Another ‘feature’ of the act is that individuals have certain exclusions and any individuals may refuse to answer to the commission on the pretext of protecting their privacy,” the source added.
Opposition parties are likely to present their own TORs as well as their future strategy to deal with the Panama Leaks investigation on May 2.
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT:
While the opposition parties seem to believe they can force the government to pass a new law which will provide for a fair, transparent and effective accountability of the prime minister, top government ministers have out rightly rejected to even review the TORs which had been drafted unilaterally by the ruling party.
Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Zahid Hamid told reporters in the federal capital that the government will not take any pressure and there will be no further changes in the TORs.
Criticising the opposition, Zahid Hamid said that the Panama probe Commission has been given all the powers to probe the case and that the opposition is now resorting to making irrelevant demands.
