Islamabad
As Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif accepts the opposition’s demand to form an inquiry commission of the Supreme Court to probe the offshore companies of Pakistani politicians and businessmen including his children, the onus is now on his political rivals to produce before it credible material to prove their charges, recklessly hurled over him.
If they succeeded in establishing any accusation against him, they will stand vindicated and the premier will suffer a massive unprecedented loss. But if they failed, they ought to apologize to the nation and shun the politics of allegations. This time, their approach has to be different from the one they had adopted after the report of another judicial commission that had inquired into the electoral rigging allegations and trashed their charges.
Nawaz Sharif’s declaration that he will go home without any hesitation and loss of time if any charge was proven against him threw a big challenge to his opponents and showed his willingness to risk his top office. He had done the same in the case of the previous commission. It is now a great test of his opponents, who keep shouting at the top of their voice against him at the drop of a hat.
For the time being, political calm is likely to quickly return as the premier bowed before their demand when he changed his previous decision to include the retired judges in the commission. There were calls that the forum should comprise the chief justice and sitting judges.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will hardly have anything to cry about in his party’s foundation day gathering in the F-9 Park on April 24 after Nawaz Sharif consented to his and other parties’ demand to write a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan for constitution of the commission. However, it will be a different story if the top judge refused to do so.
In his televised address, the prime minister punched Imran Khan hard constantly, exposing the latter’s unique politics that has introduced a new culture, marred with unsubstantiated repetitive accusations. In fact, the speech was a combination of the attack on the PTI chairman and his family’s fair business dealings and its sufferings during the tenure of different governments.
He talked about the PTI chairman’s lust for power, his use of private jet despite having no business, lies, (US) court’s decision against him, his fascist attitude to destroy Pakistan, the devastation caused and losses of billions and trillions of rupees inflicted on Pakistan by his sit-in etc., and urged the nation to put questions to him.
Nawaz Sharif was visibly pained over the relentless repeat of accusations by Imran Khan against him. He narrated the ordeals he and his family have undergone in the name of accountability for more than once but always stood vindicated as nothing wrong was ever established against them.
The severest blow from the prime minister to Imran Khan came when he quoted a Quranic verse, which said: “O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done.”
A reading of the comprehensive Terms of Reference (ToRs) showed that the prime minister agreed to each and every demand of the opposition parties, leaving no scope for them to grudge and grouse or make some other issue to agitate.
The ToRs entrusted the commission with the powers to summon and enforce the attendance of any person, including a tax expert or accountant and examine him on oath.
It was repeatedly stressed by some opposition parties that experts should be associated with the commission for advice on complex tax and financial matters. It is clear from the ToRs that the commission will consist of three judges and will have the powers to require the discovery and production of any documents, and receive evidence on affidavits etc.
Apart from the offshore companies, the commission will also examine information relating to involvement of former and present holders of office in writing off their own bank loans or those of their immediate family members through political influence.
The inclusive nature of the terms was further reflected when the ToRs stated that the commission will examine information relating to transfer from Pakistan of funds which have originated from corruption, commissions or kickbacks. The forum will see if any law of Pakistan for the time being in force was infringed. In case it was found, the commission will determine responsibility for such infringement. No corrupt person, company or entity will escape scrutiny and subsequent punishment if found guilty.
In view of the elaborate nature of the ToRs, the commission would require a very long time to complete its assignment. No time-frame has been fixed for the forum to finalize its report.