Where are names of PM, his spouse in Panama Papers, asks SHC

LHC orders clubbing of petitions on offshore companies

KARACHI/LAHORE: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday asked a petitioner where the names of the prime minister or his spouse were with regard to the ownership of offshore companies.

The court asked the petitioner Moulvi Iqbal Haider, who sought disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for not disclosing offshore companies of his family abroad, to satisfy the court about the maintainability of the petition.

The petitioner submitted in the petition that the recent leak of secret files from a Panamanian law firm revealed offshore holdings and companies of the prime minister’s children, which were hidden by Nawaz Sharif at the time of filing of nomination papers for the 2013 elections.

He submitted that according to the documents available on the website, the PM’s children — Maryam, Hasan and Hussain — were the owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several offshore companies. He submitted that as per the media statement of PM’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, she admitted that they were owners of offshore companies but did nothing illegal and were paying tax therein.

The petitioner said that PM Nawaz Sharif, while filing his nomination papers, submitted a false affidavit on offshore companies of his children and such assets and businesses were hidden from the Election Commission of Pakistan; therefore, such act was liable to be treated under articles 62, 63 of the Constitution.

The petitioner said that Nawaz Sharif, while submitting his nomination paper, hid his spouse’s business, assets abroad as per the admission of PM’s daughter and thus he violated Article 63(1) (p) of the Constitution and Section 78 of the Representation of People Act 1976 and, therefore, he had become disqualified in terms of Section 99 (1) (f) of the Act.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, inquired the petitioner as to how the petition was maintainable when there spouse with regard to ownership of offshore companies. 

The petitioner submitted that children of the prime minister were owners of offshore firm and sought further time to argue on maintainability of the petition. The court granting time adjourned the matter and asked the petitioner to argue on maintainability of the petition.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday directed the registrar office to consolidate all the petitions filed against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his family members and others allegedly involved in establishing offshore companies and concealing their assets from the public.

A number of petitioners, including Tahir Nawaz Sindhu of the PTI, had filed the petitions against the prime minister, First Lady Kalsoom Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz and other politicians.

They argued that Nawaz Sharif and other politicians could not hold a public office after the revelations of Panama Leaks regarding their investment in offshore companies, as they violated the law by not showing their assets. It was a violation of ECP laws and proof of mala fide intention of the ruling elite, the petitioners stated.

They submitted that independent inquiry must be held to investigate the matter and to bring them to justice. Transfer of public money, the petitioners said, was damaging the country’s development. They prayed to the court to declare the prime minster and others as disqualified and ban them permanently from contesting elections in future.