Opposition divided on ToRs of Panama commission, PM’s resignation

ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties on Monday remained divided on Terms of References (ToRs) for the proposed judicial commission on Panama Papers, a reference to massive leak of tax data which also includes names of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s children among others.

A meeting of opposition parties including PPP, PTI, JI, ANP, MQM and BNP-M was held at the residence of Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan in a bid to develop consensus on ToRs of the inquiry commission.

A statement issued late on Monday night said the meeting of opposition parties set up a joint committee to devise ToRs and is due to meet today at 11:00 am at the residence of Senator Aitzaz Ahsan.

Geo News reported that the opposition was divided on whether PM Nawaz should resign or stay till the inquiry is concluded. The statement noted that the prime minister failed to fulfill his responsibilities in the wake of Panama Papers revelations.

The opposition parties called for a meeting on Monday to discuss a plan of action to deal with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s alleged links to offshore companies named in the Panama Papers — an unprecedented leak of 11.5 million files from an offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca.

The meeting was held at the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Aitezaz Ahsan’s residence.

Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had formed a six-member delegation led by Shah Mehmood Qureshi to represent the party. Its members included Jahangir Tareen Khan, Asad Umar, Hamid Khan, Arif Alvi and Atif Khan.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also attended the meeting.

Leaked confidential documents spanning over nearly 40 years that spell out the extensive use of tax havens by politicians, world leaders, and celebrities to launder money and evade taxes through one of the most secretive companies the Panamaian law firm Mossack Fonseca, has taken the world by storm.

Many Pakistanis have also been named in their revelations.

The documents identify many Pakistani business tycoons and politicians including late two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as well certain members of the ruling Sharif family (excluding PM Nawaz Sharif and his brother Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif) to have use tax havens to hide their wealth.