Opp insists Panama enquiry starts from PM, his family

• Minister Saad Rafique says Opp has resorted to media trial of govt by levelling baseless allegations over Panama Papers

Mounting pressure on the government, opposition parties on Monday insisted that the enquiry into Panama leaks begins from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family so that they get an opportunity to clear their names first. The government side, however, accused the opposition of resorting to media trial through baseless allegations over the issue and calling its demand for inclusion of Prime Minister Sharif’s name in the Terms of Reference (ToRs) unjustified.

Addressing a press conference at the Parliament House, Opposition Leader in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said the prime minister had in his address to the nation offered himself and his immediate family for investigation.

The Pakistan People’s Party leader told the media that the opposition had accepted three points of Terms of Reference (ToRs) submitted by the government, including the preamble. The government wanted such an enquiry commission which was competent to investigate situations like the Abbottabad raid on Osama bin Laden compound, East Pakistan debacle report of the Hamoodur Rehman Commission, added Aitzaz who was flanked by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Sahibzada Tariqullah.

Aitzaz said, “Opposition wants to know how the capital moved abroad through secret means in secret accounts,” and called for enactment of a special law to check this type of “fiscal crime”.

Aitzaz said the burden of proof, according to international standards of corruption, was on the respondents to establish that the income through which assets were purchased was lawful and legal. He said this special law should be applied in a uniform manner without discrimination against those whose names had been mentioned in the Panama Papers.

Talking to the media, PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi said they (opposition) wanted impartial investigation but the government was giving the impression that there was a division on one point ie the opposition was insisting that Prime Minister’s name is included which is not in the Panama Papers.

AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the government had a chance to accept the said TORs which were vital for existence of democracies and parliament.

JI leader Sahibzada Tariqullah said that he on behalf of his party wanted to convey a message to the masses that it was not the opposition but the government which was a real hurdle in finalising the TORs.

Earlier, the government emissary Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who enjoys respect from all sides of the House, met Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Khursheed Shah and conveyed the government’s message of resuming talks on ToRs. However the opposition leader did not make any commitment and said he would respond after consultation with other opposition parties.

OPP LEVELLING BASELESS ALLEGATIONS:

Meanwhile, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said the opposition had resorted to media trial of the government through baseless allegations over the issue.

The minister, talking to a bevy of journalists, said the government was ready to amend the law of 1956 to prepare the ToRs, but added the 15 questions of the opposition were not TORs.

He said the opposition members tried to include the name of the prime minister in the TORs without any justification and in democracy nobody could dictate others.

Rafique said the government did not back out from its earlier stance, nor did it want delay in the process, adding, “We are still ready to move forward in a professional manner.”

Minister for Law Zahid Hamid, on this occasion, said the inquiry commission would act under the Supreme Court and it would decide the questions for investigation.

He said the government’s stance over the Panama Papers was quite clear and it would follow the procedure laid down under the law and constitution. He however made it clear that those possessing offshore companies would be investigated indiscriminately.

Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said the opposition was pressurising to include the name of the prime minister in the TORs. She said the PPP wanted to change the mode of legislation which was not possible since the judicial commissions earlier were also constituted through ordinances.