Panama leaks cause storm in Pakistan Assembly

Islamabad: Pakistan’s ruling party and opposition lawmakers traded barbs and insults during a debate in the National Assembly on Friday over offshore funds, held by the powerful Sharif family, revealed in the Panama leaks.

From the treasury benches, members lauded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision for an inquiry by a commission to bring the facts before the nation. They asked opponents to cooperate.

Announcing the decision in an address to the nation on Tuesday, the prime minister said the commission would be headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

However, such a commission is yet to be formally constituted.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) headed by Imran Khan as well as the main opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have rejected the move.

They have demand that a real judicial commission led by the country’s sitting chief justice conduct a probe, alongside international forensic auditors.

Imran Khan has threatened to mobilise protests if the right course is not adopted.

“If we are forced to take to the streets we will march to the Raiwind estate of Sharif family [near Lahore] to hold a ‘dharna’ [sit-in] there,” the PTI leader said.

The PTI said on Friday it had written a letter to the management of the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) to arrange for an address of the nation by Imran Khan on Sunday evening.

According to the PTI letter, PTV is a national asset and is there to serve not only a single person or family. Like PM Sharif and his family, every Pakistani has equal right to state television, the PTI said.

The letter claimed ruling party ministers misguided the nation on the Panama leaks and also lied against Shaukat Khanum Hospital on PTV.

Opposition leader in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah, of PPP, reportedly said PTV is a public property.

Talking to Geo News channel Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed said only the president and prime minister have the right to address the nation on PTV.