Joint opposition meeting on Panama Leaks today  

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties are holding a crucial meeting today (Monday) evening to discuss a plan of action to deal with the offshore companies allegedly owned by the children of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, disclosed by the Panama Papers.

The meeting will be held at Pakistan People’s Party Senator Aitezaz Ahsan’s residence, where the opposition will try to reach a consensus on the terms of references (TORs) of inquiry commission to probe the offshore companies.

The opposition in parliament is divided on the TORs of inquiry commission.

The PPP and PTI are two major political parties that have their separate TORs and approach to deal with the Panama Leaks issue. Apart from these two political parties, the rest of all small political parties have differences over the TORs.

The PTI wants that the proposed inquiry commission should start inquiry from the PM’s family and it should be restricted to the Sharif family. It also wants the commission to end its work within a specific time period.

On the other hand, the PPP is interested in a fresh legislation which should incorporate forensic audit of the accounts as mandatory. The ANP is of opinion that the fresh legislation will take time and the commission should start its work. The ANP supports the idea that the commission should not only investigate Sharif family, but also others.

Jamaat-e-Islami, the coalition partner of PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also announced its 13-point ToRs for judicial commission.

Various parties in the joint opposition will gather and share their proposed TORs and ideas for probe into Panama leaks.

Sources said that it would be an uphill task for the opposition parties to reach consensus on the TORs.

The TORs of two parties framed by Senator Aitzaz Ahsan of the PPP and Hamid Khan of the PTI will be put before the leaderships of various political parties for consensus.

According to sources there were broader chances of reaching consensus on one point; however, the ANP might slip away from the opposition's camp.

The opposition parties will also discuss formation of the commission which is pending with the chief justice.