ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Opposition leaders Monday slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan and sought his resignation following the revelations made in the Pandora Papers.
A huge tranche of leaked data on offshore companies that is larger in size and scope than the Panama Papers hit the global headlines Sunday night exposing financial secrets of the global rich and powerful, including Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet members, financiers, retired generals, media owners and businessmen.
The data names more than 700 Pakistanis and majority of them are tax residents in this country. The leaks have "opened a new Pandora's box" against Prime Minister Imran Khan, said PMLN leader Ahsan Iqbal while speaking to the media in Narowal.
"That leader who used to present himself as Sadiq (honest) and Ameen (trustworthy), has two more offshore companies," he said. He said even before the Pandora Papers were released, government spokespersons had started defending PM Imran Khan.
Imran, he said, was "misleading" people by blaming the COVID-19 pandemic for inflation in Pakistan. "Inflation persists due to the government's poor economic policies."
He asked the government to make public the Toshakhana details pertaining to the gifts received from foreign dignitaries.
"This corrupt, incompetent, unworthy government has no right to remain in power," he said, adding that there was "something not just fishy, but super fishy going on." Imran Khan wore a "cloak of honesty" and "fooled" the people, Ahsan said, adding that he had eroded Pakistan's respect and pride.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said she was not surprised that the premier's close aides were named in the Pandora Papers. “We all know that slogans of "corruption, free Pakistan and accountability" are all hollow and a way to target the opposition. Will the prime minister go to the Supreme Court against his people? Or will a report be called for like in other scandals?" Rehman asked.
“Prime Minister Imran must ensure investigation of ministers and other people around him mentioned in the Pandora Papers in the same way he did in the case of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz’s spokesman Muhammad Zubair said.
He said the name of Junaid Safdar was being maligned to divert attention from the names of people who were part of the PTI government.
Ali Dar, he said, was not a resident of Pakistan, so his name must not be mentioned repeatedly.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq demanded immediate resignations of government ministers and advisers named in the Pandora Papers.
In his statement, he said the ministers and advisers should resign if their names are mentioned in the Pandora Papers, otherwise they should be sacked. He said for transparency in investigation and to avoid government influence, it was necessary to remove the government employees involved.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) chief Fazlur Rahman said majority of "thieves" mentioned in the Pandora Papers belonged to the cabinet of Imran Khan, who had been creating hue and cry over alleged embezzlement of public money, corruption and money laundering.
"Generals, bureaucrats and cabinet members have been named in the Pandora Leaks. But nothing would come out of it, as the government is the supporter of corrupt elements and tax evaders," he said while addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Monday.
He said before discussing Pandora Papers, one should look into the Panama Leaks on the pretext of which only former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was maligned, targeted and ousted from power despite the fact that his name had never been mentioned in the Panama Papers.
He termed the PTI government illegitimate. "We have been terming this government illegal from day one. We would never accept it as the true representative of people," he maintained.
The people have not voted the government into power. It is due to the undue support of certain institutions that incapable rulers have been imposed on the nation, he believed.
"Those institutions are still supporting the government and they are equally responsible for the mess," he noted. He ridiculed the so-called electoral reforms of the government and said those who have come into power through massive rigging and stole the public mandate were talking about reforming the electoral system.
"We would never accept any reforms in the electoral system at the hands of thieves," he remarked.
Fazl said the Election Commission of Pakistan had rejected the electronic voting machine (EVM) after raising 37 objections.
"The electronic voting system is a failed practice. Germany has banned it. The government wants to introduce it to manipulate the election results and come into power again," Fazl said. He said overseas Pakistanis had known the real face of the incumbent rulers and they too had stopped supporting it.
“The rulers first showed green pastures to the youth and they now want to deceive the overseas Pakistanis through the hollow slogans. But their reality has been exposed to all and sundry and nobody trusted them anymore,” he added.
"It seems there is no government at all. Nothing is in control of the government. The mafias are fixing the prices of essential items. The price-hike has made the life of the common people miserable," he said.He flayed the economic policies of the rulers, saying China had made huge investments in the country in shape of CPEC but the investment was spoiled due to the flawed policies of the rulers.
The rulers have brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy due to lack of vision and directionless policies. The rupee has weakened against the US dollar. Owing to incompetence of the rulers, the country stands isolated in the comity of nations and no country is ready to do trade with us or to support us," he said.
Fazl reiterated his stance against the merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the promises of issuing Rs100 billion to the tribal areas had been made before the merger, but no amount could be given for reconstruction, rehabilitation and development of the neglected tribal belt.
PPP Parliamentarians Secretary Information Shazia Marri said many people who were in close circles of Prime Minister Imran Khan and part of his cabinet were named in the Pandora Papers and Imran could not solve the issue through just one and a half tweets.
“There is no hope from Imran’s selected government to take any action against his close and inner circle persons named in the Pandora Papers. Let’s see what action the PTI government takes with regard to its ‘ministerial advisers and ATMs’,” she added.