PM Nawaz to address parliament after opposition boycott over Panama leaks

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid says Nawaz Sharif will attend parliament on Friday and answer all allegations

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will appear before parliament to answer questions on the Panama Papers leak that linked his family to offshore wealth, an official said on Tuesday, after lawmakers walked out of the assembly.

Leaked documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama last month showed premier's sons, Hassan and Hussain, and his daughter, Maryam, owned at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.

PM Nawaz and his family have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying the assets mentioned in the leaked papers were legally acquired through the family's network of businesses and industries in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

Opposition’s blitzkrieg unnerves govt

Opposition lawmakers walked out of both the Senate and the National Assembly on Monday and Tuesday, demanding the prime minister come to parliament to answer their questions.

"The prime minister will attend parliament on Friday and answer all allegations," Information Minister Pervez Rashid told the legislature, adding the prime minister could not attend the session earlier due to an official visit to Tajikistan.

Replying to a point of order raised by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah, the minister said: “The prime minister will attend an already scheduled meeting of national institutions today and tomorrow he will go to Tajikistan. Therefore, he will attend the proceedings of the House on Friday.”

Rashid said the prime minister is not hesitant to attend the House’s proceedings, rather he feels happy to listen to the opposition members and speak in the House, according to Radio Pakistan.

The minister further said the prime minister has already written a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to set up a commission to probe Panama Papers.

“The government has prepared Terms of Reference (TORs) of the commission and opposition has also prepared their TORs.”

259 Pakistani offshore company owners exposed

“The prime minister wants to present truth before the commission,” Rashid said, regretting that now there is less talk on the commission by the opposition.

“Opposition is now more interested that the prime minister should come to the House and speak on the issue,” he added.

Earlier, on a point of order, the leader of the opposition welcomed the news that PM Nawaz would appear on Friday but said the opposition would continue their boycott until then.

"We don't want any confrontation, but the PM should clear his position and take parliament into confidence on his assets and tax details," Shah told reporters.