Panama Papers issue not ended with the PM speech: Khursheed Shah

Speaking at the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday (today), Khursheed Shah said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s speech in the house on Monday gave birth to 70 questions.

“Opposition parties in the National Assembly heard the premier’s speech with patience,” Shah said.

He said that Supreme Court of Pakistan has agreed with the opposition’s stance that the issue, regarding the terms of reference (ToRs) of the judicial commission formed to probe the allegations of Panama Papers. He said the matter should be resolved via talks.

Commenting on the prime minister’s absence from the assembly session today, the opposition leader said that he would have been much happy if the premier was present in the Parliament and listening to what he was saying.

Shah said, “Everyone should be held accountable, not just the prime minister.” He said that only parliament can tackle all the issues of the country.

He said, “the matter of Panama Papers has not ended with the speech of the prime minister but has begun now.” He also urged Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq to summon the Prime Minister in the session.

Shah said that the issue of offshore companies is not raised by the opposition but by the Panama Papers leaks. He said and added that instead of the Premier, his sons should come forward to answer the questions raised by the  Panama Papers leaks.

The prime minister should have asked his children to come forward and explain, Khursheed Shah said.

“If you are not going to declare your assets according to the constitution then there will be an issue,” Shah said. “Where did the money come from to buy flats? These questions remained unanswered,” the leader of the opposition said.

He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family was not among the 22 richest families in the country in 60s. “Ittefaq Foundries was nationalized then from where did all the money came to the family,” Shah asked. He said, ” We got to know about the Gulf Steel only after the premier mentioned it in his speech”.

Khursheed Shah said that Quaid-e-Azam paid Rs4,400 in taxes in 1947, whereas Prime Minister Nawaz’s recorded paid taxes stood at Rs2,700 in 1993. “Prime Minister himself said that in 1994 he paid Rs4,000 in taxes and none in 1995.”

 

The opposition leader said the rulers need to think as to what they will hand over to the future generations of Pakistan. .

He added that the PM’s sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz should get foreign nationality if they want to stay outside the country.