PanamaLeaks
Says no question meaningless; violation of law behind every question; PM’s name can be deleted from ToRs but father’s name will emerge with Hassan, Hussain and Maryam; govt says discussion on consensus ToRs has begun; efforts made to move forward with consensus; many names to emerge in offshore companies probe; ToRs body agrees on four-point preamble
ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition in a meeting of the parliamentary committee for the formulation of terms of reference (ToR) for probing the Panama Papers said it stands on its 15 questions but offered to delete the name of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from its ToRs.
The committee agreed on the four-point preamble to the ToRs, but differences on the wording of the ToRs remained and will be discussed in subsequent meetings. The committee held its first official meeting on Thursday to finalise the ToRs that would be followed by a proposed judicial commission investigating the allegations of Pakistanis holding offshore assets named in the Panama Papers.
The opposition circulated another document on its proposed ToRs among the members of the committee, to which comments of the government’s side will be furnished in the next meeting.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar said that out of six points that came under discussion, four had been agreed upon with consensus by the committee. “The opposition took back two out of the 15 points they wanted to be included in the ToRs,” Dar said. He said a proper dialogue had been initiated on the PanamaLeaks probe and efforts would be made to move forward with consensus.
The minister stated that the dialogue with the opposition members was held in a pleasant atmosphere and hopefully the matter will be resolved amicably. To a question regarding a conflict over Law Minister Zahid Hamid’s inclusion in the committee, Dar said the law minister had been included as an ex officio member and cannot cast any vote in the committee. He said if the opposition has any objection, the government will look into the matter.
However, talking to media persons after the meeting, Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan and Deputy Parliamentary Leader of the PTI Shah Mehmood Qureshi were of the view that the government’s attitude was not positive.
Aitzaz said the government was insisting on the ToRs that the Supreme Court had rejected. “We have sat to discuss the ToRs with an open mind. While there are differences, we have also agreed over a few points,” he added. He said the opposition was ready to remove the name of the prime minister from the ToRs and also the gifts received in Saudi Arabia. However, he said the name of the premier will emerge when the investigation is held from his sons Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz and daughter Maryam Nawaz.
Shah Mehmood said the opposition had initially proposed 15 points to be added to the ToRs. “We will not leave out any important issue,” he said. The PTI leader said every question of the opposition was based on violation of a law and no question was meaningless.
Meanwhile, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said the meeting was conducted in good spirit and the opposition and the government worked together to arrive at a consensus. He clarified that the Supreme Court did not reject the government’s ToRs and the letter of the Supreme Court had also been handed over to the opposition. He said many names will emerge with the initiation of a probe into the offshore companies. He said there was no deadlock in the talks with the opposition.
Senators Ishaq Dar, Aitzaz Ahsan, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, Muhammad Ali Saif and Ilyas Ahmad Bilour and members of the National Assembly Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Anusha Rehman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sahibzada Tariqullah and Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema attended the meeting as members of the committee. Zahid Hamid also attended the meeting as an ex-officio member of the committee.
