Properties bought during Zia, Musharraf regimes be dug out: Asfandyar

ISLAMABAD: Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali has said that the properties purchased by paying the price in dollars coming from the United States during the Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf regimes should be dug out in a transparent manner.

In a statement, he said, “No person or institution is above the law and it is the need of the hour to know about the properties purchased by paying in dollars received during the eras of former presidents Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf during the Afghan wars.”

He said that it was also the need of the hour to get information about properties purchased abroad by devouring billions of dollars during the Musharraf regime, people who doled out billions of rupees, distributed properties among cronies, established businesses abroad and opened accounts.

Asfandyar said that a forensic audit should be carried out against those who got the loans written off from the banks, who confessed to providing funds through government institutions to topple elected governments and funds spent on movements, jalao and gharao against democratic governments in the last ten years. 

He said that it was unconstitutional to demand the resignation of the prime minister till investigation into the Panama Leaks.

He said that it was encouraging that the prime minister made an announcement to constitute an inquiry commission on Panama Leaks and presented himself along with his family for accountability.

Asfandyar Wali said that his party was first to demand formation of inquiry commission headed by the chief justice of Supreme Court to probe the revelations and allegations of Panama Leaks.

He said that the nation should be informed about the facts of property, business, accounts and offshore companies of any Pakistani through investigations by expanding the power of the inquiry commission. He said that after writing a letter on behalf of the prime minister for the formation of inquiry commission if anyone had any solid fact or proof he should present it before the commission. Asfandyar said that by keeping its political history and democratic traditions, the ANP lauded a formation of inquiry commission by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif despite ideological and political differences with the PM.