Nisar offers FIA services for probe into Sharif family’s alleged offshore wealth

Imran Khan demands independent commission headed by Shoaib Suddle to probe Panam Papers

ISLAMABAD: In response to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s recent criticism on the government, regarding revelations made in the Panama Papers leaks, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan offered on Saturday services of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family’s alleged offshore wealth.

“Imran has recently questioned the role of FIA in the Panama Papers issue. If he sincerely wants FIA to probe the allegations I will personally appoint the inquiry officers of his choice to investigate the scandal,” Nisar told media in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

The interior minister, however, advised the PTI chief to stop hurling baseless accusations against the government to gain attention and to hold media trial of the country’s leaders.



Nisar claimed that the opposition parties, including the PTI, were trying to create a fuss in the national media on the issue instead of making efforts to seek sincere investigation into the allegations of the ruling party’s offshore finances.

The interior minister advised the opposition to sit with the government and make efforts to strengthen the judicial commission already announced by the prime minister to probe the allegations.

“Although several world countries, including Russia, UK and Argentina, have disregarded the reports published in Panama Papers the prime minister of Pakistan immediately announced to form a judicial commission which reflects the will of the government to probe it,” Nisar said.

Further, the interior minister said no political or religious group will be permitted to hold a rally at Islamabad’s D-Chowk and F-9 Park areas.



“We have decided not to allow any religious or political group to hold the capital and its people hostage. Holding siege to the capital stigmatises our country’s name,” he said.

Regarding PTI chief’s recent request for national address on state television, Nisar clarified that it was not Imran Khan’s prerogative to use the state television for his address.

“Nowhere in the world does it happen that an opposition leader addresses the nation using state media and Imran Khan is not even the opposition leader,” he said.

Imran demands commission headed by Suddle to probe Panam Papers

Soon after the inter minister offered Imran Khan to appoint the investigation officers of his choice, PTI chief demanded the constitution an independent commission headed by Dr Shoaib Suddle to probe Panama Papers.

“We demand the government to setup an independent commission headed by Dr Shoaib Suddle,” Imran said in a statement adding that the commission should have all the powers to investigate into Panama Papers.

According to PTI, Suddle not only have good repute but also expertise to deal with white collar crimes.

Earlier, Suddle has served as Inspector General of Police and headed the Intelligence Bureau. Later on he was appointed the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO).

This is not the first time that his name has been recommended for a sensitive and technical probe as previously he was asked by the Supreme Court to probe financial impropriety case against Dr Arslan Iftikhar, the son of the then chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.