‘Let parliament deal with Panama Papers fallout’
Civil society forum warns against sit-ins, street protests over issue
Parliament House. PHOTO: NA.GOV.PK
LAHORE:
Pakistan Civil Society Forum on Wednesday demanded accountability of all public officials named in Panama Papers through parliamentary forums.
In a meeting on Wednesday, the PCSF, a body comprising various civil society organisations, said it demanded that all those named in Panama Papers to present their income tax statements and receipts of money transfers abroad before the parliament.
The Panama Papers fallout
In a statement, the PCSF said it opposed attempts to settle the issue through sit-ins and street protests. It said, “The parliament is the appropriate forum to discuss and investigate this issue. We also urge the parliamentarians to enact laws that make it mandatory for all citizens to declare properties and holdings abroad and empower the government to investigate sources of foreign investment.”
The PCSF statement said, “The role of the government is to frame economic policies in such a way that a large number of people benefit from development schemes. Instead of relying on foreign assistance, the government should focus on tax reforms by bringing all types of income in the tax net.”
“The role of state’s security organisations is to serve the people through stipulated constitutional arrangements, under the command of the Executive, and not to define what is or is not in the national interest,” the statement said.
“The role of the judiciary is to protect rights of citizens from arbitrary abuse of executive power and not become a source of arbitrary executive power,” the statement said.
“The role of mass media is to help citizens hold powerful interests groups accountable, and not itself act as an unaccountable interest group,” it said.
Panama vows to cooperate if legal fallout from 'Panama Papers' leak
“We appeal to the people of Pakistan to support honesty and integrity in politics, and stand united in support of democracy,” the statement said.
The joint statement expressed concern over the current political situation in the country, saying “A crisis appears to be in the process of being manufactured in the wake of the Panama Leaks. This, we are afraid, has the potential of subverting democratically-elected parliament and the Constitution.”
Sheema Kermani of the Tehrik-i-Niswan, Riaz Ahmed Shaikh of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, Mahnaz Rahman of Aurat Foundation, Zulfiqar Halepoto of the Centre for Social Change, Malik Muhammad Tahir Iqbal of Legal Rights Forum, Noman Quadri of Citizens for Democracy, Elahi Bakhsh Baloch of Strengthening Participatory Organisation, Irfan Mufti of the South Asia Partnership, Mir Zulfiqar Ali of the Workers Education and Research Organisation, Anushae Alam of the Pakistan Peace Coalition, Suleman G of Sindh Agriculture and Forestry Workers Coordination Organisation, Iqbal Alvi of Society for Secular Pakistan, Asad Iqbal Butt of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Muneer Ahmed Memon of Forum for Secular Pakistan, Karamat Ali of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, and B M Kutty of the Pakistan Peace Coalition were present at the meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2016.
Pakistan Civil Society Forum on Wednesday demanded accountability of all public officials named in Panama Papers through parliamentary forums.
In a meeting on Wednesday, the PCSF, a body comprising various civil society organisations, said it demanded that all those named in Panama Papers to present their income tax statements and receipts of money transfers abroad before the parliament.
The Panama Papers fallout
In a statement, the PCSF said it opposed attempts to settle the issue through sit-ins and street protests. It said, “The parliament is the appropriate forum to discuss and investigate this issue. We also urge the parliamentarians to enact laws that make it mandatory for all citizens to declare properties and holdings abroad and empower the government to investigate sources of foreign investment.”
The PCSF statement said, “The role of the government is to frame economic policies in such a way that a large number of people benefit from development schemes. Instead of relying on foreign assistance, the government should focus on tax reforms by bringing all types of income in the tax net.”
“The role of state’s security organisations is to serve the people through stipulated constitutional arrangements, under the command of the Executive, and not to define what is or is not in the national interest,” the statement said.
“The role of the judiciary is to protect rights of citizens from arbitrary abuse of executive power and not become a source of arbitrary executive power,” the statement said.
“The role of mass media is to help citizens hold powerful interests groups accountable, and not itself act as an unaccountable interest group,” it said.
Panama vows to cooperate if legal fallout from 'Panama Papers' leak
“We appeal to the people of Pakistan to support honesty and integrity in politics, and stand united in support of democracy,” the statement said.
The joint statement expressed concern over the current political situation in the country, saying “A crisis appears to be in the process of being manufactured in the wake of the Panama Leaks. This, we are afraid, has the potential of subverting democratically-elected parliament and the Constitution.”
Sheema Kermani of the Tehrik-i-Niswan, Riaz Ahmed Shaikh of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, Mahnaz Rahman of Aurat Foundation, Zulfiqar Halepoto of the Centre for Social Change, Malik Muhammad Tahir Iqbal of Legal Rights Forum, Noman Quadri of Citizens for Democracy, Elahi Bakhsh Baloch of Strengthening Participatory Organisation, Irfan Mufti of the South Asia Partnership, Mir Zulfiqar Ali of the Workers Education and Research Organisation, Anushae Alam of the Pakistan Peace Coalition, Suleman G of Sindh Agriculture and Forestry Workers Coordination Organisation, Iqbal Alvi of Society for Secular Pakistan, Asad Iqbal Butt of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Muneer Ahmed Memon of Forum for Secular Pakistan, Karamat Ali of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, and B M Kutty of the Pakistan Peace Coalition were present at the meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2016.