ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah has said that the government has not approached the opposition for talks over Terms of References (TORs) in Panama leaks issue.
The Pakistan Peoples Party leader talked about Panama leaks issue and opposition’s stance over Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation with the media in the federal capital.
Shah said that the opposition has not demanded PM’s resignation but given him an opportunity to present himself before the Parliament and explain his side. He said that Prime Minister’s family has confessed to evading taxes.
He demanded holding every one accountable who either evaded taxes or got them written off.
He said that it is not the opposition that has accused the premier of corruption but foreign media. Initiating process of accountability with the Prime Minister and his family was asked by the opposition because he is the ruler of the country, he added.
While talking about ex-chairman Senate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari’s arrest warrant, he said that a case was lodged against him for association with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Arrest warrant of former chairman Senate was issued Thursday for thrashing a police constable on duty in a court. The policeman had attempted to search him before he entered the court in F-8 but the ex-chairman took offence.
Earlier, the Opposition Leader has dispatched a letter to the Prime Minister in Panama leaks matter. Joint Terms of References (TORs) that were formed by opposition parties with consensus were attached along the one-page letter.
In the letter, the opposition leader urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to keep in view opposition’s demands in the investigation under Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Syed Khursheed Shah, in the letter, also enclosed a joint declaration of opposition parties’ meeting.
The Terms of References demanded the government to agree to start investigation into Panama leaks through a judicial commission with Sharif family.
On Wednesday, the government apparently rejected the opposition’s draft of ToR but indicated that it was willing to sit with the opposition.
“The words used in the opposition’s TOR reflect mala fide intentions of the opposition parties. It is only targeting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,” Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid told the media persons in Islamabad.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said ToRs are focusing the Prime Minister and protecting their own people.
“ToRs are not based on justice rather designed with the sole purpose of saving their own members from accountability,” he said. NNI