Plea rejected: Lawyer challenges registrar’s order

ISLAMABAD:

A lawyer has challenged the Supreme Court’s registrar’s order for not entertaining his plea calling for the formation of a high-level judicial commission to investigate alleged offshore assets of the prime minister’s family.

Last week, Advocate Tariq Asad, better known as the counsel for Maulana Abdul Aziz, filed a constitutional petition stating that under the current circumstances, the revelations in the Panama Papers were cause for concern and it would be equitable to appoint a commission.

He alleged all those named had earned their wealth illegally through unlawful means such as money laundering and tax evasion. He requested the SC to order an inquiry to investigate the matter and submit a report to deal with the suspects.

However, the SC registrar office returned his petition firstly because the petitioner did not approach any high court or other appropriate forums available. The SC office also said the petition prima facie appeared to be ‘frivolous’.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2016.