PTI using Panama Papers for political gain with no evidence: Marriyum Aurangzeb

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) using the Panama Papers for political gain without having any evidence and that there was no contradiction in the statements of Sharif family in the matter.

Speaking in a private TV programme, she said that PTI which vociferously raised the issue of Panama Papers had failed to provide adequate evidence to the Supreme Court bench hearing the case.

She said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children had submitted their replies to the Supreme Court. In addition to the Supreme Court bench, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had suggested the formation of a parliamentary committee to review the Panama Papers documents and evidence, but PTI refused such a committee knowing that their case was without substance and that it would lose an opportunity to gain anything politically off of it.

The minister said that the opposition was trying to make the letter of the Qatari Prince controversial, adding that the letter had been made part of the Supreme Court proceedings, and if anybody had any doubt about it, they could challenge its legality before the apex court. To a question, she said it was the legal right of a client to submit documents before the court at a time of their own choosing. In response to another question, Marriyum Aurangzeb clarified that the Sharif family made investments with a Qatari family and later flats in London were purchased with the proceeds of that investment.

The PTI should say things which it can prove and should not become a laughing stock before the people of the country, she added.

Marriyum said it was not for the first time that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was boycotting the Parliament, and that it had a three year history of similar behaviour on important occasions. She said Pakistan has good relations with Turkey and China, which have made substantial investments in the country.

PTI has persistently boycotted events important to Pakistan and put hurdles in the visit of the Chinese President when he wanted to inaugurate the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.