“Those pointing fingers will be disappointed”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the Supreme Court’s decision over Panama leaks and said law and constitution will decide the case in Supreme Court.

The apex court on Tuesday during a hearing of petitions moved by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islami, Awami Muslim League, and others, ordered the PML-N and PTI to submit Terms of Reference (ToRs) on the formation of a commission to probe revelations made in the Panama Papers.

The prime minister said that he had always made efforts to solve the issue through the court. “I personally requested the Supreme Court to form a commission. I had also formed a parliamentary committee and formulated a law.”

“I even asked my lawyers not to challenge maintainability of the Panamagate petition,” the PM said, adding, “Those who pointed fingers will be embarrassed.”

The PM slammed the PTI saying that the “agitators were only willing to resolve the matter through street protests,” and taunted that those who are celebrating today should had had offered their thanks a long time back. He said he was glad that the people had rejected politics of sit-ins.

The premier said he had earlier asked the court to form a commission to investigate the Panama leaks. A law had been drafted and a parliamentary committee on the Terms of Reference for the commission had also been constituted for this reason but these efforts could not bear fruit due to non-cooperation by the opposition, he claimed.

The matter will now be resolved according to the law, he said, adding that he was hopeful the apex court’s decision would be made on the basis of merit.

The PM advised his cabinet to exercise caution with rhetoric on legal matters pending before the court.

He praised Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) for their role in tackling the capital lockdown.

Matters relating to the current political situation and the Panama leaks case hearing underway in the Supreme Court were discussed during the meeting.

The planned ‘shutdown’ of the capital was called off by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday (Nov 2) on the issue of prime minister’s involvement in panama leaks. The protest, in fact, has been changed to a ‘Thanksgiving’ rally scheduled to be held at Parade Ground today (Wenesday).