Opposition not serious over Panama leaks probe, only targeting PM: Nisar

The PML-N government expresses willingness for talks with opposition parties over ToRs

Rejecting the opposition’s proposed ToRs to investigate Panama Paper leaks, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has said the target of opposition parties was Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and not corruption.

“Opposition’s target is not corruption but Nawaz Sharif. They don’t want to get to the truth, and are insulting the prime minister,” the security czar said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday. He was flanked by minister Zahid Hamid.

A massive leak of 11.5 million tax documents on April 3 exposed the secret offshore dealings of world leaders and celebrities, also naming three of the premier’s children for owning London real estate through offshore companies.

According to Radio Pakistan, the PML-N has decided to form a committee to negotiate with the opposition.

Nisar said the prime minister had already showed his sincerity for exposing the truth but the opposition parties were insulting him.



“What more sincerity you want from the prime minister as he has announced he would go home if proven guilty?” Nisar asked the opposition.

Succumbing to mounting political pressure for a wide inquiry, PM Nawaz on April 22 presented himself and his family up for accountability after requesting the Supreme Court to form a commission to investigate the Panama Papers scandal.

The opposition parties on Tuesday evolved consensus on the ToRs to probe into the foreign wealth of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family and others in the backdrop of the Panama Papers leaks.

Blaming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for delaying the commission’s work, the interior minister implored the party “not to confuse people and let the truth be exposed”.



“The proposed amendments have created distances between us and the opposition as they are based on mala-fide intentions,” added Hamid.

He said the ToRs given by the parties had already given a conclusion in its preamble, which was against the rules of any ongoing probe.

“Even the ICJ has said Nawaz Sharif's name was not mentioned in the Panama Papers but the opposition parties have given their verdict on the matter."