UK PTI announces campaign against Sharifs over PanamaLeaks

LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) London Chapter President Barrister Waheed-ur-Rehman Mian has announced that ‘private prosecution’ would be brought against members of the Sharif family over alleged money-laundering from Pakistan to Britain.

At a press conference, he said that a three-step movement against the ‘culprits who have looted the wealth of Pakistan’ would be initiated in Britain to ensure that the UK was not a safe haven for money-launderers and crooks from Pakistan “who have looted the wealth of Pakistan over several decades causing damage to Pakistan’s national interests”. Others who attended the press conference included Atif Mayo, PTI General Secretary, Information Secretary Muhammad Ali Arshad and Asher Qureshi, financial advisors along with lawyers and accountants who have volunteered themselves in this matter.

During his last visit to the UK last month, PTI leader Imran Khan had instructed Barrister Waheed to start movement against Pakistan’s ruling elite exposed in Panama Papers as having invested outside of Pakistan through offshore companies. Imran Khan asked Barrister Waheed to look into the legal aspects of the case and formulate a strategy.  Barrister Waheed told The News that at the first stage, members of the British Pakistani community would contact police and the government to initiate action against children of Nawaz Sharif on the basis of their own “contradictory statements” about their purchase of flats in London. In the second stage, he said that British parliamentarians would be approached to take up the matter in Parliament seeking answers from the government and urging action on part of the relevant government authorities. He said that hundreds of PTI activists would take part in this campaign, contacting their local MPs to raise their concerns.

Barrister Waheed said that ‘private prosecution’ would be the last option, in case action was not taken by the relevant authorities after the initial engagement. He agreed that private prosecution could be a very complicated and expensive exercise but he hoped that PTI activists would be able to raise funds for it.

Barrister Waheed said that he had been passed information and evidence from Pakistan which he would pass on to the British authorities. He said that more leaks were expected from the UK and names of many people would be revealed “who have made secret investments”.

Barrister Waheed-ur-Rehman said that Imran Khan had done the nation proud by taking a tough stance against offshore companies and offering himself for accountability. He said that the government needed to learn from Imran Khan and must be open for accountability. Barrister Waheed said that PTI leaders must be held accountable if they had done anything wrong but action must be taken against all those who had violated the laws of Pakistan despite their political affiliations.