PM says satisfied to have Supreme Court resolving ‘Panama Papers’ issue

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said it was a matter of satisfaction for him that the issue of ‘Panama Papers’ would be resolved in the Supreme Court (SC).

“I have been striving continuously for this, and had on my own requested the Supreme Court to constitute a Commission,” the premier said while chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan on Tuesday had announced to observe a ‘Thanksgiving Day’ in the federal capital on November 2 (today) instead of a planned protest and sit-in.

The abrupt decision came after the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Tuesday began hearing a case into the ‘Panama Papers’ leaks and offered to form a commission to investigate revelations that Sharif’s children held offshore bank accounts.

“A law was framed and a parliamentary committee was also constituted, but all of our efforts remained unsuccessful. The objective of the agitators was to raise this issue on the streets alone. Thank God, this issue has now come before the Supreme Court, where Insha Allah [with Allah’s will] it would be decided in accordance with the constitution and law,” the premier said in the meeting today.

PM Nawaz said, “Insha Allah [with Allah’s will] the decision would be on merit.”

In a clear reference to the PTI chief, he said, “Those who are now offering thanks should have thanked much earlier.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claimed, “Our [government] stance is very much clear from the day one” on the Panamagate commission.