ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will attend a parliament session today (today) to answer the questions of the opposition on the PanamaLeaks.
The consultative meeting of the ruling alliance has been deferred till forenoon today. Earlier, it was scheduled for Sunday evening at the Prime Minister’s House to devise a strategy for dealing with the upcoming political situation, especially the treasury’s stance in the National Assembly and Senate in the face of the hue and cry on the PanamaLeaks by the opposition.
The prime minister, who returned from Istanbul late on Sunday afternoon after attending the wedding of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s daughter, had an informal chat with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar late in the evening who has returned from Dubai after having useful talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Pakistan’s fiscal issues. They had a discussion on the outcome of talks with the IMF and the fiscal budget for the next year for which proposals are being finalised. The prime minister gave guidelines for the budgetary proposals, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to undertake legislation on accountability in the light of directives received by the Chief Justice of Pakistan given in his reply on the request of the government for the constitution of an inquiry commission to probe the allegations on the Panama Papers. The legal team of the government under Law and Justice Minister Zahid Hamid has drawn up outlines for the legislation that would be submitted to the prime minister today, the sources said. The draft worked out would fulfil the requirements pointed out by the chief justice, the sources said.
The sources reiterated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wouldn’t bow to the politics of agitation being pursued by the hawks of the opposition as he believes that he has nothing to hide from the world. “The prime minister accepted every proposal coming from the other side for instituting a probe into the Panama Papers although his name wasn’t part of the list published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). He isn’t obliged to answer each and every objection and question raised by some disgruntled political elements who have earlier subverted the efforts for the establishment of an inquiry commission. He will offer an olive branch to the opposition yet another time for the sake of progress and stability in the country,” the sources maintained.
It is likely that the prime minister will announce the constitution of a joint committee of the two houses of parliament to thrash out the allegations on the PanamaLeaks and Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq could be authorised to designate members of the committee.
Parliamentary sources said that all groups constituting the opposition in the National Assembly have given a firm undertaking that they would behave during the address of the prime minister in the National Assembly. A debate would be allowed subsequently on the address and the leaders from the opposition would also be provided an opportunity to express their views.
The National Assembly speaker has warned the members that anyone who uses unparliamentary language will be thrown out.It is expected that the government would again write to the apex court for the formation of a commission in accordance to the guidelines enumerated by the highest court of the country. Nawaz Sharif will be leaving for London towards end of the week for his cardiac check-up as per the advice given to him by doctors last month. The doctors would take a decision after his tests and examination regarding any intervention/surgery or to continue with the drug therapy. The process of check-up would be completed within three days and doctors’ verdict in the light of the check-up will determine the follow-up, the sources added.
Agencies add: Minister for Information Pervaiz Rashid said on Sunday those who were making hue and cry on offshore companies had themselves owned such companies.
Talking to the media in Lahore, he said the prime minister would answer all the questions of the opposition in the National Assembly. He said the people should wait for the prime minister’s speech. He said Nawaz would respond to the questions of the opposition and other parliamentarians.To a question, he said the government would welcome any call for dialogue from the opposition. He said three-fourth of the opposition wanted to hear the prime minister’s speech.
Responding to another query, the minister said that the prime minister’s whole life was an open secret as he had always practised fair politics. The prime minister, he said, regularly submitted his income tax returns and the people who were accusing him of having offshore companies had been exposed as they themselves owned such companies.
To a question, he said the PML-Nawaz had rendered invaluable services for the restoration of judiciary. He said the long march undertaken by the PML-N was for the restoration of the judiciary and not for former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The former chief justice, he said, did not represent anyone. He said that Iftikhar Chaudhry had no political standing and no one even knew the name of his political party.
To another question, Pervaiz Rashid said that all the national institutions, including the armed forces, were on the same page.Meanwhile, deputy parliamentary leader of the PTI Shah Mehmood Qureshi assured that his party will not make disturbances of any sort during Nawaz Sharif’s speech in the National Assembly.
He stated that the opposition members were awaiting PM Nawaz’s arrival in the National Assembly to discuss the Panama Papers, adding that questions will also be asked from the government representatives on the issue. Qureshi said that no slogans shall be raised by the PTI members during Nawaz’s speech.
