Formation of commission on Panama Papers not in sight

ISLAMABAD: There are apparently no immediate prospects of formation of the inquiry commission to probe the offshore companies, owned by Pakistani politicians and businessmen, identified in the Panama Papers leaks, as the government and opposition parties are diametrically opposed to each other’s stand.

For a while, it appears as if everyone is dragging its feet on creating the forum. At least their stances signal this impression otherwise they would quickly sit together and settle the matter. It seems that confusion is being deliberately spread over the establishment of the body.

Information coming out of government quarters leaves no doubt about the finalization of the name of retired Supreme Court judge Sarmad Jalal Osmany to lead the commission. But the opposition parties are simultaneously vehemently dismissing it.

However, they are not coming out with any name except the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which insists that the forum should be headed by the apex court chief justice. The PTI and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) publicly state that they are on the same wavelength, but in reality they hold divergent views.

The PTI is adamant on having serving judges while the PPP doesn’t mind if a bipartisan parliamentary committee is formed instead of the judicial commission. While the government repetitively asserts that it is consulting with the opposition parties on the composition of the proposed institution and has formed teams for the purpose, there is still no meeting ground. Consultations, if and when held, have not so far been productive as the opposition forces continue to persist with their previous opinions.

While the announced ‘consultations’ are yet to produce any positive results, consistent reports are emanating from the official circles that the government has firmed up the terms of reference (ToRs) for the commission. A natural question that arises is how the ToRs can be finalized when there has been no consensus between the government and the opposition parties.

Apart from the stands of the PTI and PPP, the Jamaat-e-Islami contends that the commission should be headed by the Supreme Court chief justice. It has also demanded that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should promptly step down even before the initiation or completion of the findings of the commission. It is the only party which is reiterating this call. Even the PTI is not apparently much eager about such a demand.

In this ruckus, no opposition party has threatened to launch an agitation against the prime minister to protest the delay in setting up the commission. However, PTI Chairman Imran Khan is an exception, who has warned uninterrupted that he will launch a campaign against the government. He will unfold his next line of action in his party’s 20th foundation day gathering in Islamabad on April 24.

He has also threatened to stage a sit-in in front of the Raiwind farmhouse of the Sharif family. However, this has not been encouraged even by a single party on the ground that it was in no way prudent and fair to protest before the private residence of the prime minister.

But in London, what the PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did was in bad taste. As usual, the PTI took the lead and staged a demonstration in front of the flats of the premier’s children. In retaliation, the PML-N did the same by protesting before the residence of former in-laws of Imran Khan where he was staying at the time.

If the PTI chief went ahead with his plan to hold a sit-in in front of the Raiwind farmhouse, setting a new precedent, a similar protest by the PML-N before his residence is not ruled out. This will take political confrontation to new heights of personal tussle, which will be obviously very unhealthy for politics.

If the two sides show sincerity in constituting the judicial commission that is apparently missing since the Panama Paper leaks emerged, they can sign and seal the deal within no time. Every side is more concerned with issuing public statements taking on each other.

Even before the launch of the protest march on Islamabad by the PTI in August 2014, followed by a prolonged sit-in at the D-Chowk, the prime minister had written a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan, requesting him to form an inquiry commission to investigate the electoral rigging charges leveled by Imran Khan and others. But still the PTI and its ally had paid no heed to this announcement. At the end of the day and after a massive damage to the state institutions, the same commission had been created.

This time also, even before the demand to set up a judicial commission was vigorously made by political parties, Nawaz Sharif swiftly promised to constitute an inquiry commission to probe the offshore companies. But sadly, controversy has again been created, which sees no end.