Opposition leaders slam PM Imran Khan over financial secrets revealed in Pandora Papers

• Pandora Papers opened Pandora’s box against Imran Khan, says PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal.

• PPP Senato Sherry Rehman asks if premier will take "his people" to court.
• JI chief Sirajul Haq, meanwhile, calls for resignations of government ministers and advisers named in the Pandora Papers.

ISLAMABAD: Opposition leaders slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan and demanded his resignation following the revelations made in the Pandora Papers.

A huge tranche of leaked data on offshore companies that is larger in size and scope than the Panama Papers, hit the global headlines Sunday night, laying bare the financial secrets of the global rich and powerful, including Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet members, financiers, retired generals, media owners and businessmen.

The names of more than 700 Pakistanis were discovered in the data and the majority of them are tax residents in this country.

'Pandora's box opened against PM Imran Khan'

The Pandora leaks have "opened a new Pandora's box" against Prime Minister Imran Khan, said PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal.

"That leader who used to present himself as sadiq (honest) and ameen (trustworthy), has two more offshore companies," PML-N's secretary-general was quoted as saying by The News.

He was speaking to the media in Narowal. The PML-N stalwart said that even before the Pandora Papers were released, government spokespersons had started defending PM Imran Khan.

The premier, he said, is "misleading" people by blaming the COVID-19 pandemic for inflation in Pakistan. "Inflation persists due to the government's poor economic policies," the publication reported him as saying.

Iqbal asked the government to make public details from the Toshakhana pertaining to the gifts received from foreign dignitaries. "This corrupt, incompetent, unworthy government has no right to remain in power," he said, adding that there is "something not just fishy, but super fishy going on."

PM Imran Khan wore a "cloak of honesty" and "fooled" the people, Iqbal said, adding that the premier eroded Pakistan's respect and pride.

'Not surprised PM's aides named in Pandora Papers'

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman isn't surprised that the premier's close aides were named in the Pandora Papers.

In a post on Twitter, the PPP leader said we all know that slogans of "corruption, free Pakistan and accountability" are all hollow and a way to target the opposition.

"Will the Prime Minister go to the Supreme Court against his people? Or will a report be called for like in other scandals?" Rehman asked.

'Ensure same kind of investigation against govt ministers as done against Nawaz Sharif'

Prime Minister Imran must ensure investigation of ministers and other people around him mentioned in the Pandora Papers in the same way he did in the case of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz’s spokesman Muhammad Zubair said Geo News programme Naya Pakistan.

He said the name of Junaid Safdar was being maligned to divert attention from the names of people who are part of the PTI government.

Ali Dar, he said, is not a resident of Pakistan, so his name must not be repeatedly mentioned.

Ministers, advisers named in Pandora Papers should resign, says Sirajul Haq

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq, meanwhile, demanded the immediate resignations of government ministers and advisers named in the Pandora Papers.

The names of 700 Pakistanis, including government ministers and advisers, have appeared in the Pandora Papers.

In his statement, the JI chief said that ministers and advisers should resign if their names are mentioned in the Pandora Papers, otherwise they should be sacked.

He said that for transparency in the investigation and to avoid government influence, it was necessary to remove the government employees whose names were involved.