M. M. ALAM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif while addressing the nation has said that the Government would write a letter to CJ of SC regarding formation of Judicial Commission to probe into Panama Leaks matter.

This announcement has taken the air out of the PTI and PPP balloons  regarding dharnas as their demand for writing a letter to the CJ has been accepted by the PM.

Sharif said though he was not directly indicted in the Panama Leaks matter he had announced formation of a judicial commission. 

PM said that his government would complete its tenure. He said if any of the accusations was proved he would resign and go home.

He said that his government believed in transparency and that has also been acknowledged by international organizations.

Pointing towards the details of assets published by the Election Commission he said that: “Those who are accusing me should present evidence if they happen to have any”.

Sharif claimed  that his family had been paying income tax for long, “much before people even knew the term ‘income tax’ “.

PM said that he was ready again to present himself and his family for accountability: “We have answered all the questions before and will do the same once again”.

Claiming that his family was deeply rooted in Pakistan Sharif said: “Some three decades   ago I have started my career as a politician. The worst time was when I was forced to live out of Pakistan, a country I love.  When I came back you elected me PM for the third time ”.

Addressing the media he asked them to investigate the facts  before running any story against a Pakistani. 

Pointing towards the recent dharnas he said that the country had lost billions (kharboon) of rupees  during the ‘circus’: “Who would be answerable for that”.

Immediately after the televised speech Ministry of Law wrote a letter to CJ regarding setting an Inquiry Commission up in order: 1) To examine information relating to involvement of Pakistani citizens, persons of Pakistan origin and legal entities in off-shore companies in Panama or in any other country;  2)  Involvement of former and present holders of public office in writing off their own bank loans or those of their immediate family members through political influence; 3) Transfer from Pakistan of funds which have originated from corruption, commissions or kickbacks, and to determine whether, in any case referred to above, any law for the time being in force in Pakistan has been infringed; 4) in case the answer to aforementioned is affirmative, to determine responsibility for such infringement, and to make such recommendations as may be deemed appropriate; 5) The Commission shall have powers under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 for summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person, including a tax expert or accountant, and examining him on oath, requiring the discovery and production of any documents, receiving evidence on affidavits, issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses on documents and requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any Court or office; 6) The Commission shall have the powers to require any person, subject to any privilege which may be claimed by that person under any law for the time being in force, to furnish information on such point or matters as, in the opinion of the Commission, may be useful for, or relevant to, the subject matter of the inquiry; 7) Any officer not below the rank of a gazetted officer, specially authorized in this behalf by the President of the Commission may enter any building or place where the Commission has reason to believe that any books of account or other documents relating to the subject matter of the inquiry may be found, and may seize any such books of account or documents or take extracts or copies there from subject to the provisions of section 102 and section 103 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, insofar as they may be applicable; 8) Any proceeding before the Commission shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860; 9) The Commission shall be assisted by all the concerned authorities of the Federal and Provincial Governments; 10) The Commission shall start the inquiry at a place and on a date to be fixed by it and shall submit its report to the Federal Government in accordance with its Terms of Reference. The Cabinet Division shall provide secretarial assistance to the Commission.