MPs’ body decides to finalise consensus ToRs

PanamaLeaks

Committee to work without chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the judicial commission to probe the PanamaLeaks, offshore companies, transfer of funds from Pakistan originating from corruption, commissions, kickback and written-off bank loans in its first meeting decided to finalise the ToRs with consensus rather than majority of vote.

The parliamentary committee decided to remain headless but would make all the decisions with consensus.

The committee’s first meeting was held in the presence of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker National Assembly, and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah. It was also decided that the proceedings of the committee would be held in-camera.

Copies of the letter of the Ministry of Law and Justice addressed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the proposed ToRs prepared by the government along with the reply of the Registrar Supreme Court of Pakistan were circulated among the members. Copies of the proposed ToRs of the joint opposition were also circulated among the members of the committee.

The committee unanimously decided that both the government and opposition might examine and consider the said ToRs so that these might be finalised with consensus during further meetings of the committee. The committee will hold its next meeting today (Thursday).

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said, “We will take all the decisions with consensus and the nation would not be disappointed. We will listen to the government’s views and tell them ours and come out with a consensus,” he said in a brief talk with the newsmen after the meeting.

PTI’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it was agreed that there would no chairperson of the committee.

While talking separately with newsmen, the head of National Party and Federal Minister Mir Hasil Bizenjo confirmed that the committee would remain headless. “It is not necessary to appoint a chairman of the committee,” he said.

He said the chief justice’s letter was handed over to the members of the committee for consideration.Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, Muhammad Ali Saif and Ilyas Ahmad Bilour and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sahibzada Tariq Ullah and Ch Tariq Bashir Cheema attended the meeting as members of the committee.Zahid Hamid, Minister for Law and Justice, also attended the meeting as an ex-officio member of the committee.