Panama leaks: Imran offers self up for accountability

PML-N and allies to hold key meeting on the opposition’s working terms

ISLAMABAD:

The head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) conditionally offered himself up for accountability on Friday under the opposition’s terms of reference (ToRs) for investigating the Panama leaks.

At the same time, the prime minister summoned a meeting of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and its allies at the PM House on Saturday (today) to discuss the opposition’s ToRs and how to deal with the opposition in this regard.



On Friday, Imran Khan touted the opposition’s ToRs as near flawless while announcing to media representatives that he was ready to offer himself up for accountability along with the premier under the proposed terms.

Instead of responding to allegations over the Panama leaks, Imran said, the prime minister started visiting different parts of the country, announcing development projects.

The opposition wants Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family to face up to the Panama leaks probe. The actual probe, according to them, should be completed within 90 days.

The government, however, rejected those ToRs on the grounds that the prime minister and not corruption was being targeted.

Nevertheless, the government said it would kept its doors open for outlining joint ToRs.



While referring to the premier’s statement in Sukkur in which he had said that there was no difference between a terrorist and an agitator who opposed development projects, Imran Khan said: “Protests are the beauty of democracy and the opposition’s job is to point out the government’s weaknesses.”

Urging the prime minister to step down, Imran said that he believed that the government would prolong the matter and would eventually try to blackmail the opposition. “Our party will not back down from its principled stance. We will continue our struggle to save the country from corruption”.

He also vowed that the opposition would also not be deterred by the premier’s whirlwind trips to Bannu, Kotli Sattian, Haripur and Sukkur.

The prime minister’s legal team briefed him after formally receiving the opposition’s ToRs. The team includes Law and Justice Minister Zahid Hamid, Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf and Special Assistant to the PM on Human Rights Barrister Zafarullah Khan. The team is likely to respond to the opposition’s ToRs on Saturday (today).



The opposition is also awaiting the government’s response. “The entire government and, even the prime minister, appears to be confused. They are branding us all terrorists,” PPP’s Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira, told The Express Tribune.

Kaira said that the opposition will form a committee once it the government shares its response.

PM calls top-level meeting

Sources inside the PM House said the ruling party and its allies would outline a plan on forming a top-level committee to engage the opposition.

The proposed panel might be headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and the government’s allied parties in the National Assembly. It would also discuss the committee’s mandate and scope.

The committee is most likely to contact the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah.

Sources also said that if the government approached the opposition, Khursheed Shah was likely to contact all opposition parties, seeking their representatives for the formation of the opposition’s team to negotiate with the government’s committee.

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